The six wives of Henry VIII, revealed at the start of 'Six', promise that "history will soon turn around", and perhaps offer a few twists along the way.
Oh, and make a story out of that too.
The Tony Award-winning production, at Detroit's Fisher Theater through June 11, deftly shakes and roasts the mythical royal queens of the 16th century, placing them like metaphorical gloves and in a post-#meto contemporary context. It drew a lot of laughs, funny and otherwise. Rather than traditional music, the UK-created 'Six' is as much a pop concert as it is a history lesson, with the Spice Girls or your favorite KPop group as instructors. It's cooler (and probably more memorable) than learning everything from Wikipedia, that's for sure.
"Six" is the most abundant energy. The show runs for 80 minutes non-stop and plays in one set, from start to finish (no less than an encore called "MegaSix") and never stops. The six "bands" are also quite a sight, with the queens apparently competing over who had a bad experience with Henry and therefore should be the bandleader, until the last woman, Katherine Parr, is the "survivor". (yes, we are included). . from the hit Destiny's Child) tells the truth and hilariously, uniting their ancestors into a brotherhood that grows stronger together.
Its message is poignant and timely, but writers Toby Marlowe and Lucy Moss deliver it in a smart, fluid way that never feels contrived or judgmental.
