Curtsy to the ‘Queens’
On July 20th, the long-awaited exhibition ‘Queens’ opened at The Lowry.
As soon as you walk up to the 2nd floor of the centre, you are immediately greeted by a display of children’s improvisational works entitled ‘We Are…Our World’.
The mixed-technique collage paintings, made by teenagers, answer the existential questions ‘who are we and what is our future?’ and contain elements of the most vivid dreams and expressions of individuality. This introduction perfectly sets the tone and mood for the rest of the visit.
Now you are at the entrance to the main halls. Large posters inform you whom specifically the exhibition is dedicated to. Who are these Queens? They are the stars of Lucy Moss and Toby Marlow’s hit musical project to recast the Six Wives of Henry VIII as pop idols. Unexpected, right?
Moss and Marlow met at Cambridge University in their final year. That’s when they decided to create a musical that combined the historical context of the 16th century with modern showbiz. In the end, a glorious art-hybrid in the style of Punk-Meets-Tudor Chic was born. The band consists of six talented actresses, singers and musicians. Each of them reincarnates a real historical persona – one of King Henry VIII Tudor’s wives. It is a spectacular, costumed musical story written for modern women about women of a bygone era, abandoned, beheaded, humiliated. The award-winning musical has been successfully staged in Edinburgh, London, and Chicago – now it has come to Manchester too!
The exhibition at the Lowry Centre opens with contemporary fashion costumes heavily inspired by the kings of punk rock experimentation Alexander McQueen and Vivienne Westwood. The show’s style echoes the stage look of early Madonna, with the addition of Freddie Mercury’s elegant glamour. And, of course, the costumes bear recognisable historical references to the Tudor era. Moreover, the costumes are unexpectedly placed in the context of the most popular music of the contemporary century. The organisers derive new show image formulas where Katherine of Aragon + Beyoncé = the new star of the ‘Musical Six’ and Anne Boleyn + Avril Lavigne = Punk-rock ‘Lady-in-waiting’. The same contextual references apply to Adele, Rihanna, Emeli Sandé, and Britney Spears.
Discussing this pop-mass-media culture can vividly brighten your family outing with your teenage children. After all, it’s always fun to discuss and compare your child’s musical tastes and preferences with your own. At the same time, you have a rare opportunity to put knowledge of 16th century history into your children’s heads without stress. Catherine of Aragon, Anna Boleyn, Jane Seymour, Anne of Cleves, Katherine Howard, Catherine Parr – do you know these names? There is no doubt that after visiting the exhibition everyone will remember them.
For the readers – ‘The Six Wives of Henry VIII’ by Antonia Fraser and Alison Weir with tightly-researched text and excellent illustrations, will be a must buy. Social media and photography enthusiasts will also love the interactive photo zones, which let visitors test out fancy dress and selfie lights – there’s even a large pseudo-Gothic throne for the perfect royal pose! On one of the walls you can admire beautiful non-staged photos from the streets showing people of all ages, genders, and appearances. An absolute triumph of individuality – after all, each of us is a King or Queen in our own way!
Do you want to leave a note about yourself and your loved ones? There’s a wall for that too, where you can declare to the world who your personal Queen is. Perhaps it’s your wife, your grandmother, your cat, yourself or your favourite performer.
And don’t forget to determine your Tudor alter ego. Simply answer the questions and an algorithm will determine whether you are Anne Boleyn, Katherine Parr or another queen. You can also test your vocal abilities in a small recording studio. Don’t be shy, no one will overhear you, the walls are soundproofed. Just feel like a pop queen!
On the way out, don’t forget to please yourself and your loved ones by buying fancy dress accessories for a spectacular outing: glittering crowns, badges, and key chains are at your disposal.
Interesting. I thought I would take 5 minutes to read the article. In the end, it will take me/us longer… to go see the exhibition.