SIX – Review of Grand Concert / Musical at the Royal Alex

Six is an unbelievably enthusiastic and colourful rock concert that engages the audience before it even starts and keeps them excited until the final standing ovation. The six of the title are a reincarnation of the wives of King Henry VIII but this is no BBC costume, mini-series. The six wives are reborn in Toronto (and many other cities around the world) and they want to tell us their story and to judge who had the worst luck with the king.
They are reincarnated as pop stars and they tell us their stories through rousing songs, vigorous dancing and well-placed humour. It is a show that holds the enthusiasm and involvement of the audience without letup. There are quieter moments in the singing and dancing but that is only to let the people in the audience catch their breath.
Time to recharge your memory battery about Henry’s wives as recreated for us by Lucy Moss and Toby Marlow.
In the first number of the musical, “Ex-Wives” the SIX introduce themselves and tell us their fate. We start with the first one, Catherine of Aragon (Jaz Robinson). Her fate: DIVORCED. She was married to Henry’s brother at age 15 but he died before anything happened. After some serious persuasion, the Pope allowed Henry to marry her (good) but would not allow him to divorce her (bad). Jaz is a statuesque woman with some marvelous high notes and wonderful dancing.
The petite Julia Pulo plays Wife Numero 2 and you know that is Anne Boleyn. Beautiful, smart, a sexual magnet, Henry could not resist her and split with Rome over her. She gave him a child, alas a girl who did well as Queen Elizabth I but Anne’s fate: BEHEADED. When the other five complain about their fate, Anne reminds them that she was BEHEADED and gets a laugh. Pulo is a crackerjack of energy.
Maggie Lacasse plays the beautiful and dignified Jane Seymour, wife Numero 3. Lacasse has some splendid vocal flourishes and as Jane Seymour gave Henry the much-desired son but died after giving birth to him. He became the hapless King Edward IV. A tragic end that was not brought about by Henry, for a change.
Wife Numero 4 is Anna of Cleves (Krystal Hernandez). Marrying her seemed like a good idea and Henry ordered a painting of her to see the merchandise before ordering it, if I may put it crudely. In the painting she looked good; in real life she did not. He did not touch her and after six months of marriage she was given enough money and property to live well in England and not see Henry again. Her fate: DIVORCED, of course.
Wife Numero 5 was Katherine Howard (Elysia Cruz). She married the disgusting porker Henry in July 1540 at the age of 17 and was executed in February of 1542 at age 19. She accomplished a lot in her life but most of it involved being pursued by randy men and her lust being more powerful than her reason. No surprise: she was BEHEADED.
Wife Numero 6 was the Honourable Catherine Parr (Lauren Mariasoosay) who looked after Henry in his declining years and she survived him.
We all agree that the ladies had it rough in their mortal lives (remember Anne Boleyn was beheaded) but (thanks to a super cast) they are doing gangbusters in their afterlife as rock stars travelling around the world and look what they have done for Lucy Moss and Toby Marlow who wrote the musical while studying at Cambridge University. They owe their success to the posthumous careers of the Six after inventing them and putting together the musical.
There are some fundamental aspects of a rock concert, in addition to involving the audience and maintaining their level of enthusiasm, and they are the musicians, the lighting and the volume levels. Elizabeth Baird on keyboard, Aretha Tillotson on bass, Kia Rose on guitars and Allyson MacIvor on drums are all introduced to us and merit enthusiastic applause. They make sure volume levels are kept up. Joe Beighton is the Music Supervisor.
The lighting and special effects are non-stop and simply dazzling. Give credit to Tim Deling for Lighting Design, Paul Gatehouse for Sound Design and Emma Baily for Scenic Design. Lucy Moss and Jamie Armitage co-direct the production and Carrie-Anne Ingrouille did the choreography.
The only thing I cannot figure out is how they managed to get the audience pumped up with enthusiasm BEFORE anything happened on the stage and kept it up until the final eruption of approval and a standing ovation.
SIX The Musical by Steven Lucy Moss and Toby Marlow continues until February 11, 2024, at the Royal Alexandra Theatre, 260 King St. W. Toronto, Ont. www.mirvish.com

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