Interludes

THE HANGOVER REPORT – The exuberant SIX finally opens on Broadway, and it’s exactly what New York needs at the moment

• By drediman
• October 4, 2021
• No Comments

Last night, the highly anticipated new musical Six finally arrived on Broadway at the Brooks Atkinson Theatre. I say finally because the London import was supposed to have opened on the Great White Way way back on March 12, 2020 (after having started previews on February 13) – i.e., the exact night that all in-person performances came to a screeching halt. Well, fast forward more than a year-and-a-half and the queens of this exuberant musical have, after a long and winding road, at last broken through that elusive opening night threshold – and it was worth the wait. Indeed, perhaps even more so now than in pre-pandemic times, Six seems the perfect escapist antidote for New York theatergoers during these current uncertain times (much like Mamma Mia! was in the period following the tragedy of 9/11).

For those of you unfamiliar with the premise of this energizing pop musical, it tells – or rather retells – the unfortunate stories of the six wives of Henry VIII in the guise of a pop song competition. In terms of musical theater forebears, the work can be best described as a cross between Altar Boyz and Hamilton. Like the former, it takes the overt form of a pop concert, with each queen taking on the discrete stylings of well-known pop divas (e.g., Beyoncé, Britney Spears, Adele, Alicia Keys, etc.). And like the latter, Six recasts history in a way that’s empowering, enlightening, and imminently accessible to the masses. As written by Toby Marlow and Lucy Moss — both keen devotees of both pop music and musical theater — the show camouflages astonishingly well as bubble gum spectacle, all the while slyly incorporating woke social viewpoints, particularly those that have manifested themselves as result of the #MeToo movement. By the show’s conclusion, you’re likely to find yourself cheering for these queens equally for their reclamation of their rightful place in history, as for their irresistible pop music performances.

As an ensemble, the show’s six triple threats operate like a sensationally well-oiled machine. Although no one role is larger than another, particular standouts include Abby Mueller (who, as Jane Seymour, imbues the gorgeous power ballad “Heart of Stone” with wrenching gravitas) and Brittney Mack (whose show-stopping “Get Down” arguably steals the show for Anne of Cleves). But make no mistake, these queens – as backed onstage by an awesome all-female band – rule collectively. Breathlessly directed by Ms. Moss and Jamie Armitage to run a rocket-like 80 minutes (without an intermission) – which once may have registered a tad on the slight side – Six now seems like the perfect length of time to spend indoors in a cramped Broadway theater. Don’t let its brevity deter you, however. There’s enough electric current in the show to power musicals three times its length. Long may the queens of Six reign.

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SIX
Broadway, Musical
Brooks Atkinson Theatre
1 hour, 20 minutes (without an intermission)
Open run