Review: All You Wanna Do is Go See SIX at DPAC

The Boleyn tour of SIX starts out with all the excitement and energy of a pop concert: shadowed silhouettes as the performers take the stage, dramatic lighting set to a crisp drumbeat, and a smoke machine that adds a mysterious flair. 

Emma Elizabeth Smith (center) as Catherine of Aragon in The North American Tour Boleyn Company of SIX

As the Tudor queens take the stage and embody today’s queens of pop, SIX tells the story of the wives of King Henry VIII. But this time, they’ve taken matters into their own hands and give their tales a her-story rewrite as they lament the one thing they all have in common: the trauma they faced at the hands of Henry VIII.

Nella Cole as Anne Boleyn in The North American Tour Boleyn Company of SIX

Conceived by geniuses Toby Marlow and Lucy Moss and directed by Moss and Jamie Armitage, SIX is structured as a pop concert, as opposed to typical musical theater style, and is presented a la reality show competition as each queen tries to prove she had it the worst. After exuding confidence and showmanship during their stuck-your-head-for-days opening number “Ex-Wives,” the queens explain the rules of the show. They will each get a chance to sing about their marriage to Henry (accompanied by backing vocals from the others) before the audience votes on who will be the group’s lead singer. The only catch is that the winner will be the queen most egregiously wronged by their philandering ex-husband. 

As each queen sings about her fate (Divorced! Beheaded! Died! Divorced! Beheaded! Survived!), her musical style references that of current female pop stars. 

First up is Emma Elizabeth Smith as Catherine of Aragon in a Beyoncé and Shakira inspired performance of “No Way.” With impeccable comedic timing and delivery, Smith belts out her rapid fire lyrics with some serious power, and some serious enunciation, to ensure her audience is still able to catch every word. Unfortunately, DPAC’s audio levels were not right, and the music often overpowered the vocals, making it hard to understand what was happening if you don’t already know the show and its music. 

Kelly Denice Taylor as Jane Seymour in The North American Tour Boleyn Company of SIX

Nella Cole takes on the infamous temptress Anne Boleyn as she channels Lily Allen and Avril Lavigne. What starts out cutesy and innocent is quickly stripped away to reveal sex-loving rocker chick energy underneath in her song “Don’t Lose Ur Head” as Cole fully plays into the rivalry with Aragon and Anne’s famous name. 

Next up is Kelly Denice Taylor as the modest Jane Seymour, bringing more traditionally “theater-style” notes to her sweeping Adele and Sia inspired performance of “Heart of Stone.” Her speech is a moment of soft stillness as she describes her affection for Henry with palpable love and loyalty. 

That sweetness doesn’t last long though, as Anna of Cleves (Hailey Alexis Lewis) proudly asserts her independence and freedom in a fierce and unapologetic rendition of “Get Down,” drawing inspiration from Nicki Minaj and Rihanna. Lewis brings enviable breath control and a healthy dose of female empowerment as she drops it low, thanks to bass player Emily Davies. 

But it is Alizé Cruz (and her sky high electric pink ponytail) who steals the show as Katherine Howard. Her Ariana Grande and Britney Spears inspired performance follows a heart-breaking arc as her confident and sexy song “All You Wanna Do” reveals a very broken and desperate little girl forced to grow up too fast. There were multiple seconds of silence before audiences applauded her song, letting her tears hang in the air for one more moment. 

Hailey Alexis Lewis (center) as Anna of Cleves in The North American Tour Boleyn Company of SIX

Catherine Parr (played by Tasia Jungbauer) brings a calming sort of presence for her spotlight moment of “I Don’t Need Your Love,” inspired by Alicia Keys and Emeli Sandé. As the song builds in passion and intensity, Jungbauer brings the strength and inspiration of women’s movements throughout history as the queens wrap their reclaimed stories up with a bow (or in this case, a rhinestone studded belt). 

Alizé Cruz as Katherine Howard in The North American Tour Boleyn Company of SIX

Vocal talent aside, the precision and attention to detail these queens bring to the stage is exquisite. Every dance move is perfectly punctuated to accentuate not only the incredible on-stage band (depicted as ladies in waiting), but Carrie-Anne Ingrouille’s spunky choreography as well. Looking effortlessly cool, these women spend the full 80 minutes on stage as they dance in bedazzled boots and sing the entire time, all with unwavering stamina as they move and dance as a cohesive team while still holding their own spotlight and attention. 

There may only be six performers on stage, but that also means there are always six performers on stage vying for audience attention. Fortunately, the cast strikes this balance with ease as they not only play into the concert style and talk to the audience directly, but with each other as well. Thanks to Marlow and Moss’ clever script, they roast each other (I know, I know, but if the queens can use modern slang in their songs, I can use it here, right?) with some well-timed sass, as well as historical facts about their respective characters in a way that feels natural and honest, rather than a history lesson. 

Thanks to brilliant costume designer Gabriella Slade, these women shine both metaphorically and literally, thanks to their gorgeous bedazzled outfits. Full of clever nods to each queen’s story (pants for Catherine Parr, a micro mini skirt for Katherine Howard, Slade’s costumes make exquisite use of color (girlish pink for Howard, envious green for Anne Boleyn, and unapologetic red for Anna of Cleves) to create truly artistic masterpieces. 

There is an indescribable amount of joy that comes from not just watching, but feeling like you are a part of, SIX. With only six performers, these women take on the gargantuan task of filling not only the stage, but the entire room, with their excitement and energy as they bring the audience to their feet. Coupled with scenic design from Emma Bailey, lighting design from Tim Deiling, and sound design from Paul Gatehouse, SIX is the production everyone needs to see. 

Tasia Jungbauer as Catherine Parr in The North American Tour Boleyn Company of SIX

SIX runs at the Durham Performing Arts Center through Sunday, November 2, 2025. The production runs approximately 80 minutes with no intermission and makes use of bright lights and theatrical haze. Children under the age of six will not be permitted at this performance, and SIX is not recommended for children under 12 years old. Tickets can be purchased here. 

All photo credit to Joan Marcus.