‘Six Teaches An Entertaining History At The Fisher Theatre
The Sixes opens with the promise that Henry VIII's six wives are "about to change history" - and maybe breakdancing along the way.
Oh, and make it HIS story too.
Through June 11 at the Fisher Theater in Detroit, the Tony Award-winning play deftly shakes up and cooks up the legends of 16th-century royalty, placing them in a post-modern #metoo context that fits like the proverbial glove. , irony and more. Unlike the traditional British musical and premiere ("natch"), Six is a pop concert and history lesson featuring your favorite KPop band like the Spice Girls or your teacher. Much cooler (and probably more memorable) than looking at everything on Wikipedia, that's for sure.
What is abundant in the Six is energy. Running 80 minutes non-stop and performed in a single set, the show rocks from start to finish (with an encore called "Megasix") and never stops. Six is a "band" and a show, and the queens tell the truth about who had the worst experience with Henry and should therefore be the leader of the band - with the late Catherine Parr, a "survivor" (yes, including the hits of Destiny's Child) and their royal bloodline unite in a brotherhood that holds the collective power.
The message is heartfelt and relevant to our times, but writers Toby Marlowe and Lucy Moss deliver it in such a smart and heartfelt way that it never comes off as mean or preachy.
Of course, the Sixers' success has a lot to do with the cast, and there's no weak link in Fisher's touring company, from the Sixers themselves to the four-piece band that performs on stage throughout. throughout the show. Each of the queens is the embodiment of modern pop heroes - Catherine of Aragon mixes Beyoncé, Jennifer Lopez and Jennifer Hudson, Anne Boleyn mixes Miley Cyrus, Avril Lavigne and Lily Allen and more - each has their own signature song, but the actors involved do it. Their business. UM alum Alexandra "Zan" Berube plays Bolly with, shall we say, valley girl enthusiasm, while Wolverine's Aline Myagotia gives Kathryn Howard plenty of cheeky faces. (Incidentally, both characters have their heads cut off, suggesting the casting director may have been an Ohio State fan.)
Even better, as Terika-Maria Anne of Cleves, Henry was rejected by his wife because the first portrait she saw was more flattering than her. Starring Rihanna and Nicki Minaj, Mariah's 'Get Down' is a sharp spectacle, her performance a mix of bravado and vulnerability, channeling Anna's pain and anger in a moment that would make any queen cringe. .
However, all 10 songs are standards and the cast's chemistry is evident in all of them. Of particular note is the techno-delightful "Holbein House", which tells the story of Henry's journey to see portraits of Hans Holbein (the Younger). A play is an artistically choreographed change of pace in the middle of a performance, during an "intermission" in the performance.
"Six" lends its voice to Henry VIII's queens
"Six" ends with the theme songs of the same name and a small explosion of confetti worthy of any good pop concert. How much you can take from queens or current misogyny is up to you - if you want to, of course, but at least know that it's guaranteed to be a good time.
“Six” runs through June 11 at the Fisher Theater, 3011 W. Grand Blvd., Detroit. 313-872-1000 or Broadwayindetroit.com.
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