“Divorced, beheaded, died. Divorced, beheaded, survived.” You’ve probably heard this rhyme in a history class, but you’ve never heard it like this. Six isn’t just a musical, it’s an experience. From the moment we walked into the beautiful Dr. Phillips Center, the energy was flowing. Audience members dressed like their favorite queens were lining up for selfies with the step and repeat- it felt like a pop concert in the best way.
We made our way into the theater, and the first thing to jump out was the set. The Dr. Phillips Center’s Walt Disney Theater has a grand, gorgeous stage, which accommodates large scale shows like Cats, Jesus Christ Superstar, and the upcoming Hamilton with ease — but the design of the set for Six made it feel more intimate and up close, using scaffolding and a concert style lighting package to really drive home that feeling. It felt like we were right there with the Queens, like they were singing just for us.
As the theater filled in, the anticipation grew. The audience was buzzing and ready as the lights dimmed. Like the opening of a Beyoncé concert, the Queens stepped out through the fog and lights, ready to start 90 minutes of high energy, non-stop fun. If you’re not familiar with Six, it’s the story of the six (ex)wives of Henry VIII. Each Queen sings a song about her life with the King, all in different modern pop styles, reminiscent of stars from Nicki Minaj to Adele. Their goal is to let the audience decide which Queen had it worst, which would then decide who will go down as the most important of the six. If it were up to me, it would be a six way tie. Each actress onstage brought something unique and engaging to their performance, and the chemistry between them was excellent. Every single person onstage was captivating. In this tight-knit ensemble cast, it’s hard to choose a favorite Queen because they’re all incredible in different ways, which is really the point of the entire show.
Six was both hilarious and heartbreaking, and really left me thinking about how these women were all historically reduced to just being wives (or ex-wives) of a king. I cannot recommend this show enough. It’s perfect for a fun night out, a date night, or even just a solo night downtown! Six is now playing at Dr. Phillips Center until October 9th.