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November 28, 2021 11:17 AM   Subscribe

SIX is a musical about Henry VIII's wives in a singing contest. Sometimes disparaged as "The British Hamilton", the production's iconic costumes and energetic sounds have nevertheless captured the imaginations of a slew of talented animators. We set the stage with Ex-Wives by oliviamarlyce.

Other options are available, whether animation, "flashmob", or massive lockdown collaboration.

SIX the musical created by Toby Marlow and Lucy Moss.
Some historical accuracy may have been sacrificed in the name of art. In particular, a lot of people feel Anne Boleyn was done dirty, even if she did get a banger of a song.
posted by Lorc (21 comments total) 22 users marked this as a favorite
 
Props for title, now I will go watch these videos.
posted by jessamyn at 12:14 PM on November 28, 2021 [1 favorite]


I had a chance to see this in previews before covid, and it’s a pretty good time. It was originally created for the Edinburgh Fringe, and it feels it: high energy, funny, and short (over in about an hour with no intermission). Worth the trip, but might be especially suited for a matinee rather than an evening show.
posted by GameDesignerBen at 1:02 PM on November 28, 2021 [4 favorites]


Back now. Wow I didn't know anything about SIX before this and I very much appreciated this entry into it. Fascinating to see the history buffs in the YouTube comments schooling the animation buffs who may not know the larger story. Apparently the Katherine Howard song is much beloved by young TikTokers and a lot of people are like "um... you may want to learn more about her"
posted by jessamyn at 2:48 PM on November 28, 2021 [2 favorites]


Love these!
posted by Wretch729 at 3:41 PM on November 28, 2021


I knew the soundtrack by heart before I saw the preview in Boston before the pandemic, and it was a real joy. It's short and fast and full of dancing and silly jokes and colored lights and it made me so endlessly happy. Over Thanksgiving I bored some relatives with the story of Henry's wives (based on high school history and Phillipa Gregory novels, not the history in the play).

God I love that show. Everyone listen to it and dance!
posted by gideonfrog at 5:07 PM on November 28, 2021 [2 favorites]


Thanks for this post. I had never heard of the show, but was intriguiged by the concept when I saw the number included in the Macy's Thanksgiving parade. I did not love that song, but I'm interested to see more.
posted by the primroses were over at 6:36 PM on November 28, 2021


I really enjoyed the bootleg version of the show I saw online awhile back. It's a surreal take on everything, but interesting.

I do kind of wonder about one thing, though: Katherine Howard's song has such surprise depth to it, pointing out that she's a young girl out of her depth with all of these manipulative men trying to be friends/get in her pants and she doesn't know any better--so why is Anne Boleyn's so dumb bimbo-y? Like I always thought she had more brains than that?
posted by jenfullmoon at 7:07 PM on November 28, 2021 [1 favorite]


I saw the Australian version in January 2020 just before everything closed down. I loved it and have booked tickets to see it again in January 2022.
posted by poxandplague at 8:32 PM on November 28, 2021 [1 favorite]


I really appreciated how this show revisited Catherine Howard. Classically she was painted as a "dumb slut" but a bit more recently historians have been stepping back and looking at the age difference between her and her supposed "lovers" (she was only 19 when she died while Henry was 50). That also (as the show rightly points out) brutally illustrates how old she was when she entered into the supposedly consensual relationships.

This is my favorite Six animatic. The same creator sketched out one for Howard but it is so sketchy it is almost unwatchable, unfortunately.
posted by Anonymous at 4:53 AM on November 29, 2021


Saw the Macys act (way too early:) and the costumes were abstract enough that the period didn't register at first but did hear the bits of death lyrics and wondered if this was along the lines of Assassins or Sweeney Todd and these were famous female murders.

Need a famous killer women musical. And a famous/unknown woman scientist/engineer musical.
posted by sammyo at 4:58 AM on November 29, 2021


How about a musical about Fantastically Great Women Who Changed The World?
posted by Lorc at 5:30 AM on November 29, 2021 [2 favorites]


disparaged as "The British Hamilton"

This is bad, somehow?
posted by Faint of Butt at 9:04 AM on November 29, 2021 [1 favorite]


My 13 yo daughter's been obsessed with the musical since it came to Broadway, and we were about to get tickets then the pandemic hit.
We're going next week, late birthday present for her. She is too excited.
posted by gaspode at 9:29 AM on November 29, 2021


Anne Boleyn's so dumb bimbo-y? Like I always thought she had more brains than that?

She’s in the style of Miley Cyrus and her youthful age is to reflect that she got involved with Henry at like age 16.
posted by jmauro at 10:25 AM on November 29, 2021 [1 favorite]


Henry started going after her when she was 25, right?
posted by Anonymous at 10:58 AM on November 29, 2021


This is bad, somehow?

What I meant by that, is that comparisons were widely drawn, but not always with flattering intent.

Basically certain circles dismissed it as an attempted cash-in. An ersatz (as well as distaff) product, rather than something that does its own thing and stands on its own merits. Even if the inspiration is still obvious.
posted by Lorc at 11:06 AM on November 29, 2021 [1 favorite]


And a famous/unknown woman scientist/engineer musical.

Lauren Gunderson can help you out there, though not musicals.

Anne Boleyn on Wikipedia. Doesn't look like she was 16.
posted by jenfullmoon at 11:06 AM on November 29, 2021


On a related note: How Close to the Truth is Six The Musical? I liked his commentary on Anne: "Anne does...not get to sleep with her brother?"
posted by jenfullmoon at 12:50 PM on November 29, 2021 [1 favorite]


I loved the two Anna of Cleves songs!
Haus of Holbein indeed.
posted by Omnomnom at 2:06 PM on November 29, 2021


Seems worth dropping in Daniel Lavery's Unsolicited Advice for the Wives of Henry VIII.
posted by mark k at 8:48 AM on November 30, 2021 [3 favorites]


I saw this when it was in Chicago! Absolutely the most fun I've had at a show in ages, though I agree that it does Anne Boleyn a disservice.
posted by goodbyewaffles at 6:10 PM on November 30, 2021


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