SIX the Musical Review: Herstory through Pop Songs
Six is a musical about King Henry VIII’s six wives, a history lesson remixed into a pop concert starring the six Queens - Catherine Aragon, Anne Boleyn, Jane Seymour, Anne of Cleves, Catherine Howard, and Catherine Parr. It is a show that will not leave you bored for one moment, as the opening number sets a powerful tone and energetic vibe that lasts for a full 80 minutes. The cast comprises of only six people as well as a backup rock band.
The plot of the musical, at a high level, is about how the Queens are trying to determine who should be the lead singer of their group by battling it out through song. They take turns singing songs, telling the story of their lives and how much they have suffered as a result of becoming Queen. Each song is some version of a pop song, whether it be an upbeat anthem, ballad, or hip hop beat.
Six is not what you would expect a traditional musical to be, where there are stretches of dialogue, set changes, or a varied cast. With Six, you get six main characters rotating in the spotlight and singing songs back to back. It reminds me a bit of Hamilton with how the songs are nonstop. But while Hamilton remixes history with rap and hip-hop, Six remixes her-story with pop. Initially, I have to admit I was a little disappointed at the low production value behind Six. There is no major change in the set design, backdrops, or costumes. However, looking past all of this, it is undeniable that Six is enthralling and enjoyable.
The songs of Six are what you come for. They are incredibly catchy and fun. Hearing them performed on Broadway by an incredibly talented cast definitely elevates the experience of listening to the songs for the first time. But I cannot recommend the West End cast album highly enough, as I’ve been listening to it on repeat for the past few weeks.
I definitely realize that it’s damn near impossible for people to get a ticket to watch Six on a whim, and so this review really won’t mean anything to most people. But if you are not opposed to listening to the songs of a musical online, I think you can take away most of the story just through the songs, especially with a base level understanding of King Henry VIII’s six wives. This musical is really just an epically fun retelling of history through pop music and a bit of imagination.