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Overview
Synopsis
“Divorced. Beheaded. Died. Divorced. Beheaded. Survived.”
Six is a modern retelling of the lives of Henry VIII’s six wives: Catherine of Aragon, Anne Boleyn, Jane Seymour, Anna of Cleves, Katherine Howard, and Catherine Parr. They have come together as a band to stage a pop concert and invite the audience to hear their stories. They cannot decide who should be the lead singer, so they initiate a competition, or singing battle, to see who suffered the most as Queen. Each wife believes they had it toughest and they belittle each other’s attempts to prove their hardship. However, they become frustrated that their place in history is defined by one man. Together, they decide to pick up the pen and the microphone, and re-write their own stories. They are more than a rhyme, more than a wife, and much more than one King could handle.
Show Information
- Book
- Toby Marlow , Lucy Moss
- Music
- Toby Marlow , Lucy Moss
- Category
- Musical
- Age Guidance
- Thirteen Plus (PG-13)
- Number of Acts
- 1
- First Produced
- 2017
- Genres
- Comedy, Historical/Biographical
- Settings
- Fantasy/Imaginary, Simple/No Set
- Time & Place
- A Pop-Rock Concert, Present Day
- Cast Size
- small
- Orchestra Size
- Rock Combo
- Dancing
- Musical Staging
- Ideal For
- All-Female Cast, College/University, Professional Theatre, Regional Theatre, Includes Adult, Young Adult Characters, Small Cast
Context
Six is written by Toby Marlow and Lucy Moss, who were both students at Cambridge University. The idea for the musical came to Marlow during his final year and the duo wrote the show while completing their final exams. It premiered at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in 2017 with a cast of university students. The production caught the eye of West End producers and it was given a limited professional debut, staged over four Monday performances at London’s Arts Theatre in December 2017. The show
to read the context for Six and to unlock other amazing theatre resources!Plot
In the darkness, the famous rhyme begins: “Divorced, Beheaded, Died….Divorced, Beheaded, Survived”. The lights come up upon the six Queens styled as a girl group. They are staging a pop-concert and are determined to overthrow the traditional historical narrative of Henry VIII’s wives. Breaking down the fourth wall, they introduce themselves to the audience and welcome them to the show - The ‘Divorced, Beheaded Live Tour’ (“Ex-Wives”). They go on to introduce their band and tell the audience to
to read the plot for Six and to unlock other amazing theatre resources!Characters
| Name | Part Size | Gender | Vocal Part |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Lead |
Female |
Alto, Mezzo-Soprano |
|
|
Lead |
Female |
Mezzo-Soprano |
|
|
Lead |
Female |
Alto, Mezzo-Soprano |
|
|
Lead |
Female |
Alto, Mezzo-Soprano |
|
|
Lead |
Female |
Mezzo-Soprano |
|
|
Lead |
Female |
Mezzo-Soprano, Soprano |
Songs
Ex-Wives – The Queens
Ex-Wives (Reprise) – The Queens
No Way – Catherine of Aragon
Anne Boleyn (Interlude) – The Queens
Don't Lose Your Head – Anne Boleyn
Heart of Stone – Jane Seymour
Haus of Holbein – Company
Haus of Holbein (Playoff) – Company
Get Down – Anna of Cleves
All You Wanna Do – Katherine Howard
I Don't Need Your Love – Catherine Parr
I Don't Need Your Love (Remix) – Catherine Parr & the Queens
Six – The Queens
Megasix – The Queens
A song with an asterisk (*) before the title indicates a dance number; a character listed in a song with an asterisk (*) by the character's name indicates that the character exclusively serves as a dancer in this song, which is sung by other characters.
Monologues
Scenes
Key Terms
A genre of theatre advocating for gender equity and female perspectives, challenging patriarchal norms on stage.
Videos
Quizzes
Themes, Symbols & Motifs
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Quote Analysis
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Guide Written By:
Alexandra Appleton
Writer, editor and theatre researcher