365days2play
The smash hit musical SIX, written by Tony Award® Winners Toby Marlow and Lucy Moss, is currently showing at the Sands Theatre at Marina Bay Sands. This is the story of Henry VIII’s six wives, but told in a way that you’ve never seen before.
Just to recap, Henry VIII, King of England from 1509 to 1547, was infamous for his six marriages. Desperate for a male heir to secure the Tudor dynasty, Henry’s marital history was marked by turmoil and tragedy. He was married a total of 6 times, during which he beheaded 2 wives, divorced 2 wives, 1 died during childbirth and the last one survived him.
In the musical SIX, these six former wives come together to bitch about their life with Henry VIII, trying to one up each other in who had it the most tragic. A significant part of the musical focuses on the wives telling their sorry tales, until they suddenly come to a revelation that they shouldn’t be defined by their history with Henry VIII.
Much of this is presented via high energy movement and vocal performances.
I must admit, I found the musical somewhat jarring at the beginning. Historical inaccuracies aside, I didn’t find it particularly entertaining to be hearing a summarised version of the hell that these wives went through. Although a storyline exists, in that these wives graduate from being sorry for themselves to realising that they can rewrite history and chart a happier ending for themselves, I found this to be somewhat simplistic and predictable.
But lest I sound too negative, let me state that I would of course prefer to celebrate female resilience and solidarity, than not. And this is exactly what the latter half of the performance is about.
Kudos has to be given to the electrifying performance though. The performers were relentless in their energy levels and singing. I also quite enjoyed some of the catchy tunes. I saw people around me bopping along to the fast-paced music. It is quite likely that those interested in modern retellings of historical stories, as well as fans of high-octane music akin to a rock concert would enjoy this musical.
Or put in another way, how about a girl-band concert, with a bit of history and attitude thrown in for free?
Venue: Marina Bay Sands, Sands Theatre
Show Dates: 14 Nov – 1 Dec
Tickets: S$68 – S$208*
Book tickets for the musical SIX via Klook (use my Klook discount code <365DAYS2PLAYKLOOK> for 5%-10% discount)
