The 2017 UK musical that reimagines Henry VIII’s six wives as a pop girl group competing in a singing competition, becoming a global phenomenon and Broadway hit through its Beyoncé-inspired feminist reclamation narrative.
Queens Remix History
“Six” opened on Broadway October 3, 2019 (briefly, before COVID closure), created by Cambridge students Toby Marlow and Lucy Moss. The 80-minute musical with no intermission presents each wife telling her story through pop anthems styled after contemporary artists: Catherine of Aragon (Beyoncé), Anne Boleyn (Lily Allen), Jane Seymour (Adele), Anna of Cleves (Nicki Minaj/Rihanna), Katherine Howard (Ariana Grande), Catherine Parr (Alicia Keys).
The show’s genius was reframing the wives’ tragedy as empowerment: they compete to determine whose suffering was worst, then reject the competition altogether, realizing they don’t need Henry VIII’s validation. “I don’t need your love!” became a rallying cry.
The cast recording went viral on Spotify before most Americans had seen the show, with “Ex-Wives” and “Don’t Lose Ur Head” gaining millions of streams. TikTok users created dances, lip-syncs, and history lessons using the songs, making “Six” one of the first Broadway shows where social media success preceded commercial success.
When Broadway reopened September 2021, “Six” became the first show to resume performances, benefiting from its small cast (6 women, 4-piece band) making it COVID-protocol friendly. The show’s 80-minute runtime, pop concert energy, and Instagram-friendly costumes made it the perfect post-pandemic Broadway experience.