For the “Divorced, beheaded, died, divorced, beheaded, survived” chant’s equivalent in @arty-e’s SIX: The Kids, I was thinking it could be the epithets/nicknames the rulers are commonly known by today.
Edward - The Boy King
Jane - Nine Days’ Queen
Mary - Bloody Mary
Mezza - Queen of Scots
Elizabeth - Good Queen Bess
The point of using “Divorced, beheaded, died…” was to highlight that the six wives’ fates in relation to their time with Henry, and an oversimplification of the reasons behind them, is all the general public really knows of them. But besides Edward and Jane because their deaths were so tragic and premature, we don’t really remember the ‘kids’ by how they died or who they married. Instead these titles nicely sum up our perception of them: precious smol bby Edward; Jane a weird detour who showed up out of nowhere and then died (at best precious smol bby #2); evil, murderous fanatic Mary (at best with a sympathetic backstory); well, I’m afraid Mezza’s is pretty vague, but it’s the only nickname of hers I could find and marks her as an outsider to the English; and virtuous, badass icon Elizabeth. The chant sounds weird in my head because it doesn’t have that symmetrical rhythm, so I tried to make a rhythm of ‘3 syllables/3 syllables/4 syllables/3 syllables/3 syllables’.
Some character introduction verse ideas! Edward.
Edward: I’m Edward VI, forever -
Ensemble: The Boy King
Edward: Pulled around like a toy on a string
The anticipated heir
Call the weight I bear unfair
But ruling is no harder than (clears throat) breathing air
Jane.
Ensemble: Nine Days’ Queen
Jane: Shortest reign in British history
Not much cause to gloat
I’m Lady Jane Grey, the footnote
When I got crowned, I thought nothing else could shock
But move over, K Howard, there’s a new kid on the block
Mary.
Ensemble: Bloody Mary
Mary: The Church of England had it in for me
Well, can’t say I didn’t earn my infamy
My siblings and I didn’t see eye-to-eye
But now the stakes aren’t so high
Might I just earn some sympathy?
Elizabeth.
Ensemble: Good Queen Bess
Elizabeth: Last Tudor standing, you all know my name
(coyly stage whispering) Elizabeth
(normal) My golden age is my claim to fame
It wasn’t easy, one big uphill climb
But life is a game and I win every time
Edward VI’s song.
Lady Jane Grey’s song.
Mary I’s song.
Elizabeth I’s song.












