English History Made Fun – Six the Musical

Jul 9, 2025 by Two Sues On the Aisle

By Sue Weston and Susan Rosenbluth – Two Sues On The Aisle

Six, the musical, the longest-running show at the Lena Horne Theater, delivers fun and memorable lessons in British history. Written by Toby Marlow and Lucy Moss, two Cambridge University graduates, Six started as a West End hit which became a Broadway staple, winning the well-deserved best original score and costume design in a musical Tony awards in 2022.

Six feels more like a concert than a traditional musical. It is positioned as a competition among the ex-wives of King Henry VIII for having the most tragic life. Using the English school rhyme, “Divorced, beheaded, died; divorced, beheaded, survived,” we are introduced to Henry’s six wives: Catherine of Aragon, Anne Boleyn, Jane Seymour, Anne of Cleves, Catherine Howard, and Catherine Parr. Each Queen performs a solo number about her life and her-story. The audience is told that we will be voting to select the winner.

Six begins with instrumental takes of contemporary pop songs, arranged in a Tudor style. Perfectly fusing historic with contemporary, giving the show a timelessness, in a performance that is high energy, colorful, and fun, with an unexpected but perfect ending, rewriting history and singing about the life they wish they had lived.

Meet the Queens

Six underscores the power of strong women with an all-woman cast, including the band, who are onstage the entire show (referred to as the Ladies-in-Waiting), the subtext is empowering women to recognize their value and find their authentic voice. What began as a competition became a collaboration. As they revealed their past, they realized that they earned a place in history for being one of King Henry VIII’s wives.

Henry’s final wife, Catherine Parr (Taylor Marie Daniel), sings “I Don’t Need Your Love” and inspires the others to see themselves in their own light, not Henry’s. Was in love with another, a relationship she was forced to end when Henry had selected her to be his bride. (Her character was inspired by Alecia Keys and Emeli Sande). She was the first woman in England to publish books under her own name in English.
Wife Five, Katherine Howard (Key Sibal), was beheaded. She is remembered for being used by men, song ‘All You Wanna Do’.. ‘is touch me, love me, can’t get enough, squeeze me, birds and the bees me.’ Her beauty caused her to be taken advantage of (her character was inspired by Ariana Grande and Britney Spears).
Anna of Cleves (Krystal Hernandez) was chosen based on her portrait painted by the artist Holbein, but Henry rejected her on sight, ‘Cause I didn’t look like my profile picture,’ and they were divorced. She was wealthy and received a generous settlement from Henry (her character was based on Nicki Minaj and Rihanna).
Jane Seymour (Kelsie Watts), who was the only wife Henry truly loved, died in childbirth, but gave Henry an heir. (Inspired by Adele and Sia). Jane was a lady-in-waiting to both Catherine of Aragon and Anne Boleyn.
Ann Boleyn (Gianna Yanelli) was the Lady in Waiting for Catherine of Aragon until Henry took a fancy to her. She was beheaded at the Tower of London and is known for causing England’s break from the Pope. (Inspired by Lily Alen and Avril Lavigne).
Catherine of Aragon (Najah Hetsberger), Henry’s first wife, was first married to Henry’s brother, Arthur. As she sings in her solo, ‘No Way’, she will not be pushed aside by Ann Boleyn, who shares their marital bed. (Inspired by Beyonce and Shakira).

Tudor/Space Age Fusion

Six shares the story of King Henry VIII’s infidelity, told from the perspective of his ex-Queens. While we remember them collectively, because Henry had 6 wives, the show looks at who they really were as people, until the perspective changes, they realize that they are not competitors. Spinning the script allows them to imagine how their lives could have been.

Six balances fun, pop music, with the issues facing women (then and now). The costumes merge Tutor fashion with a futuristic flair, adding a timelessness that works well.

Everything about Six is witty, cutting, and powerful, from the performances to the words and costumes. Weeks after the performance, we were still obsessed with the songs, the lyrics, and the music.

The show was entertaining while inspiring us to see beyond the present situation. It is a tribute to these strong, powerful women and their ability to create their happily ever-after stories.

Two Sues on the Aisle bases its ratings on how many challahs (1-5) it pays to buy (rather than make) to see the play, show, film, book, or exhibit being reviewed.

Six received 5 Challahs