Last week
the Ordway hosted the Broadway tour of the recent revival of the 2005 Tony-winner Spamalot, and a good time was had by all. This week they welcomed back the queens of
SIX, the smash hit musical that began at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, then went to the West End, then toured the US (including at
the Ordway in 2019) before making its pandemic-delayed
Broadway debut in 2021. The next spring it won Tonys for best score and costume design, and is still playing on Broadway and touring around the country. This two-week run is the 4th time that the queens have visited the Ordway, for a total of 60-some performances in St. Paul. At this point,
SIX is a well-oiled machine, a finely honed music-theater gem that is exactly what it wants and needs to be, nothing less and nothing more. Not veering far from its Fringe origins, it has a runtime of 75-ish minutes, and is practically perfect in its construction, telling the story of Henry VIII's six wives from their perspective as modern-day pop stars. This musical couldn't have come at a better time, when we're (still) hungry for women's stories, for women to tell their own stories instead of being defined by men, as history has defined these six women by their marriage to a king. This was my sixth time seeing
SIX (all four touring productions at the Ordway, plus Broadway and Toronto), and I love it more each time. If you've never seen it before, you owe it to yourself to experience this truly unique and original piece of music-theater HERstory. And if you have seen it before, rest assured that it's as fantastically fun as ever, with a touring cast that is brilliantly talented. They're in town for two weeks;
get your tickets only at the Ordway's official site here.
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| photo by Joan Marcus |
The 75-minute show (or a bit longer depending on length of audience applause) is so jam-packed with clever wordplay that I'm certain I didn't catch all of it, even the sixth time around. But one word sticks out - historemix.
SIX is a remix of history; it takes the facts historians have told us about these women, and mixes them up with modern pop culture to give us this new HERstory. Each of the six women is inspired by a modern woman of pop music (most of which I am too pop illiterate to get) as they sing their story in one song to prove that they've suffered the most hardship at the hands of the king and should be declared the Queen of this group of queens. Conveniently there's a nice bit of symmetry in the fates of Henry's wives; as they sing, they were "divorced, beheaded, died, divorced, beheaded, survived." If this competition among women about the tragedies in their lives seems a little uncool, well, let's just say that this show is too clever to fall into that trap, and turns it on its head. While they act like they're competing, these women are actually celebrating and supporting each other.*
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| photo by Joan Marcus |
This production brings back together the artistic team from the UK production, including directors Lucy Moss and Jamie Armitage. Choreographer Carrie-Anne Ingrouille has created some really sharp and fabulous modern choreography that contributes to the feeling that this is the most awesome pop concert you've ever seen (caveat: I've never attended a pop concert). Tony-winning costume designer Gabriella Slade has dressed the women in outfits any current pop diva would be thrilled to wear, but with hints of the time period (and those amazing glittery studded heels!). The relatively simple multi-level stage set allows these talented women to be the focus, with the assistance of some dynamic and exciting lighting (scenic design by Emma Bailey, lighting design by Tim Deiling). And best of all, the awesome four-piece all female band (dubbed the "ladies in waiting"), led by Valerie Maze on keyboard, is in full view on the stage and even get an introduction or three during the show. This entire production is a showcase of female talent and sisterhood.*
Each one of these queens is unique, and at this point iconic. These six actors have stepped into those studded heels and made the roles their own: Emma Elizabeth Smith, Nella Cole, Kelly Denice Taylor returning from the 2024 tour, Hailey Alexis Lewis, understudy Caroline Siegrist, and Tasia Jungbauer. Each one fully embodies her queen, and they're all so playful with the audience in this fourth-wall-breaking show, and appear to be having a great time. And why wouldn't they? It's a supremely fun show that is also very smart, and filled with both pop culture references and relevant social commentary.
Don't lose your head, just head to St. Paul to spend a little time with these six fabulous queens who made their husband famous.
*Some text borrowed from my review of prior productions.
