Review

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Six

Liverpool Playhouse

★★★☆☆

Starting life as a student show at the Edinburgh Fringe, Toby Marlow and Lucy Moss have created a cultural phenomenon that does for Tudor history what Hamilton has done for American history. Detailing - in a loose sense - how history has reduced the six wives of Henry VIII to a rhyme, Six delves into the life of each wife in a Horrible Histories meets The X Factor sassy pop-rock concert.

During the 75 minute musical, the wives tell their individual story in a bid to work out who suffered the most at the hands of Henry VIII, and should therefore become the leader of the girl band that they have created. The topics of the wives songs range from childbirth, unwanted sexual advances, forced marriages, and of course death. Almost every musical genre is covered, from R&B, big power ballads, and pop.