The “SIX” national touring production took a trip to Detroit’s Fisher Theater January 7-12 2025. Though “SIX” is being performed where classic Broadway shows such as “Les Miserables,” “Wicked,” and “Rent” have taken the stage, this is not your average musical.
The performance, which focuses on the six wives of Henry VIII is 80 minutes with no intermission. Henry VIII is one of England’s most famous monarchs due to his influence on England leaving the catholic church and due to his promiscuous relationship timeline. His six (ex)wives were influential throughout his reign but their stories and influence are not commonly known. To reconcile with this, the cast only consists of the six wives of Henry VIII in an effort to tell their stories.
Making this show even more unique, there are 4 band members on stage rather than a full orchestra, there are no set changes, and only one onstage costume change. The musical is set in the format of a concert. Each of the six wives has her own song or songs that tell their stories with short dialogue in between. There are also three songs where all of the wives sing together.
While I did enjoy the modern flair added to this historical story, their attempt to shine light on the untold stories of these women fell short. The premise of the show was a ‘Trauma Olympics’ between the six wives. While the dialogue between the women was humorous, there was too much emphasis placed on their competition rather than telling their actual stories.
Even though I felt that the show was forcing a pointless plot, I do think that the overall message or theme of the show was a good one. These women’s stories throughout history have fallen through the cracks. The legacy of Henry the VIII was a large one politically and religiously and because of that, the names of Katherine of Aragon, Anne Boleyn, Jane Seymour, Anne of Cleves, Catherine Howard, and Kateryn Parr have been lost and dwindled down to just “The Six Wives of Henry VIII.”
Similar to the way people loved “Hamilton” because it told the untold story of a founding father, people love “SIX” because it tells the untold stories of these six women. Despite wishing for more history, the cast was phenomenal. They seemed to grasp the attention of everyone in the theater with their talented singing, dancing, and interaction with the audience.
I’d recommend this show to both history fanatics and concert lovers. It can be a great show for teens and parents to enjoy together.