…Divorced, Beheaded, Live!

Six is a musical about the six wives of Henry VIII, infamously remembered by the rhyme: divorced, beheaded, died, divorced, beheaded, survived. It was originally written for the 2017 Edinburgh Festival Fringe and went on its first tour through the UK in 2018. The tour that came through Centennial Hall, The Boleyn Tour (named after Anne Boleyn, Henry VIII’s second wife) ran from October 11th to 16th. The show is performed as if it’s a concert, and the six (ex)wives are competing against one another, trying to prove they each had the most traumatic experience.

I’d been waiting to see Six since February 2020, and being able to finally see it was a life-changing experience. I was looking forward to Katherine Howard’s song the most. Played by Aline Mayagoitia on the Boleyn tour, she was the second wife Henry VIII beheaded. Her song, “All You Wanna Do”, was everything I hoped for and more. It delivered her story in a carefully crafted manner, showcasing her journey and the injustices she suffered through her eyes. An unexpected highlight of the show was Sydney Parra’s (as Catherine Parr) “I Don’t Need Your Love”. It was soulful, powerful, and well-delivered. Additionally, Gerianne Pérez played Catherine of Aragon, Henry VIII’s first wife, Zan Berube played Anne Boleyn, his second wife (and the tour’s namesake), and Amina Faye played Jane Seymour, his third wife.

I was surprised at the difference the American accents made to the show. The official recordings were done with the Off West-End cast, in the UK. Their accents were significantly different from the American cast on the Boleyn tour. While unexpected, they provided a refreshing alternative to the original recordings. I found it a tad amusing that, despite changing the accents and a few of the phrases to be more American, Anne of Cleves (played by Terica Marie) maintained her original German accent.

Lastly, the costumes and set were unlike any other theatrical production I’ve seen. The concert setting added to the uniqueness of the show, and took away from the seemingly archaic background the show is based around.

Reviewed by Ria Siddaiah

October 14, 2022