“SIX” and “The Book of Mormon” are Strong Reminders of What Musical Theater Can Be (Review)

Broadway and the West End work in perfect tandem, each debuting shows that — if success allows it — will eventually make their way across the pond. During my recent trip to the UK, I was lucky enough to attend two musical productions that have both enjoyed a fair amount of critical acclaim.

The first is SIX, which unites the six wives of King Henry VIII for a modern musical extravaganza that blends genres and breaks down walls. It’s not story-driven, as it functions more like a pop concert. The Queens tell their stories and compare horrible life experiences, which seems pretty par for the course in the era that they lived. However, this is actually a competition; they’re trying to see who suffered the most, and therefore who should become the group’s lead singer.

SIX takes back the power and establishes the Queens as characters separate from Henry. Historically, they’re always bundled together with the King, because he’s the only thing that ties them together — when in fact, his wives are the only reason Henry is as famous as he is. I couldn’t tell you a thing about his religious reform or his investment in the Royal Navy, but even before seeing SIX I was well aware of his Queens, their basic life stories, and how they died. SIX gives them the agency they deserve as main characters, and not just supporting players in the Royal narrative.