Lucy Moss and Toby Marlow’s musical SIX has opened at Brooks Atkinson Theatre on Broadway and as fans of Queendom ourselves we were interested in what the Critics thought.
Even a global pandemic couldn’t stop SIX the little British musical by Toby Marlow and Lucy Moss that roared. The Queens of SIX Broadway are now holding court at the Brooks Atkinson Theatre and the reviews are out.
Here’s what the critics said:-
Variety said:- This fast-paced show — it’s just 80 minutes long — places these Old Spice Girls in a competitive pop-rock concert — think “The SiX Factor” — with the wife who is judged as having suffered the most to be elevated to lead singer. It may not be much of a compensation for their pains — especially for those who have been literally on the chopping block. But for theatergoers, this show (by twenty-somethings Toby Marlow and Lucy Moss and directed by Moss and Jamie Armitage) is as sharp and shiny as a sequined stiletto heel, and couldn’t have come at a better time.
The creative team did it by simply going gaga — and Gaga, too, not to mention Beyoncé, Adele, Nicki, Rihanna, Ariana, Alicia and Britney. They’re the wide-ranging musical inspirations in this non-stop remix, choreographed with Super Bowl Halftime verve by Carrie-Anne Ingrouille. Gabriella Slade’s dazzling costumes also bring bling, wit and character detail (and sly icon and historical references) to each of these wonder women as they strut around a concert-court set by Emma Bailey, under Tim Deiling’s blazing lighting.
EW said:- Sitting in a theater packed with fellow fully-vaccinated, mask-wearing Broadway lovers brings a sense of solidarity and camaraderie to the atmosphere, a vibe mirrored on-stage by the cast’s girl-group dynamic. Add to that the joy that’s always been the DNA of this production, and Six truly is the top ticket to celebrate the return of the live stage show. Look, if a somber play is your idea of Broadway’s best, then by all mean, enjoy! But if you’re up for a euphoric celebration of the musical medium, Six is queen of the castle. Long may it reign.
The Hollywood Reporter said:- What distinguishes the signature numbers primarily is the sparky personality imprinted on each wife by the hardworking, appealing performers, all of whom dance and sing like Energizer bunnies with attitude. Well, all except demure Jane, who belts up an emotional storm, but as Anne takes cruel pleasure pointing out, “can’t dance.” Neither Mueller nor choreographer Carrie-Anne Ingrouille do much to disprove that, keeping her tucked away in back for many of the group formations.
The New York Times said:- That “Six” puts just such a rewritten history onstage is a great thing for a pop musical to do. Let’s not quibble about its accuracy, or the way it drops its contest framework cold, just in time for the singalong finale. It’s not a treatise but a lark and a provocation — and a work of blatantly commercial theater. That means a fantastic physical production and unimprovable performances by a diverse cast whose singing is arena-ready but also characterful.
