If you walked into Bass Concert Hall this week expecting a dry, academic retelling of 16th-century British history, you were likely blown away within the first three minutes. As part of the Broadway Across America 2026 season, SIX has returned to Austin, with a short limited engagement, proving once again that it isn’t just a musical—it’s a high-octane “histo-remix” that transforms the tragic wives of Henry VIII into a powerhouse pop girl group. The show starts out with a ‘The Voice” style competition where each of the wives is competing against each other for the ‘most tragic’ story and the audience is told they will be voting at the end of the show. Things take a different twist at the end.
The “Hamilton” of the Tudor Dynasty
The most immediate comparison for SIX is, of course, Hamilton. Both shows share a revolutionary DNA: taking historical figures trapped in dusty textbooks and giving them a modern pulse. Much like Lin-Manuel Miranda used hip-hop to humanize the Founding Fathers, SIX creators Toby Marlow and Lucy Moss use the language of the Top 40 charts to reclaim the narrative of women who have been reduced to a single, grim rhyme: “Divorced, Beheaded, Died, Divorced, Beheaded, Survived.” By the end of this 80-minute concert-style show, that rhyme feels like a relic of the past, replaced by a vibrant reclamation of female agency.
The “Queenspirations”: A Modern Musical Map
The brilliance of SIX lies in its “Queenspirations.” Each Queen’s solo is modeled after specific modern pop icons, making their 500-year-old grievances feel as current as a viral TikTok.
Catherine of Aragon: In “No Way,” she channels the fierce R&B energy of Beyoncé and Jennifer Lopez, refusing to be cast aside.
Anne Boleyn: (undeniably the most famous) Breaking the “calculating temptress” stereotype, she delivers “Don’t Lose Ur Head,” a cheeky, pop-punk anthem inspired by Lily Allen and Avril Lavigne.
Jane Seymour: Providing the emotional heart of the show, her ballad “Heart of Stone” evokes the soulful vulnerability of Adele or Sia.
Anne of Cleves: Flipping the “ugly wife” narrative on its head, she brings the house down with “Get Down,” a trap-heavy banger channeling Nicki Minaj and Rihanna.
Katherine Howard: In a sobering highlight, “All You Wanna Do” uses the bubblegum pop stylings of Britney Spears and Ariana Grande to explore the sexualization and exploitation she faced as a teenager.
Catherine Parr: Finally, the “Survivor” brings a soulful, Alicia Keys vibe to “I Don’t Need Your Love,” shifting the focus from her marriage to her own intellectual legacy.
“Haus of Holbein” was an unexpected highlight that transformed the theater into a Berlin nightclub rave, shifting from pop-R&B to German Techno and Europop, drawing inspiration from artists like Kraftwerk and Vengaboys. This song, featuring UV-reactive glasses and neon ruffs, is characterized as a strobe-lit critique of historical beauty standards and the “male gaze,” demonstrating the show’s ability to combine social commentary with high-energy performance.
A Concert Experience at Bass Concert Hall
Unlike traditional Broadway shows, SIX moves with the speed of a stadium tour. There is no intermission (it’s only about 75 minutes long), and the “Ladies in Waiting”—the incredible all-female onstage band—provide a wall of sound that fills the venue. The lighting design by Tim Deiling is particularly noteworthy; it is bright, aggressive, and perfectly mimics the strobe-heavy atmosphere of a pop concert.
While the show is short, it is dense with wit, synchronized choreography, and vocal arrangements that demand perfection. For Austin theatergoers, it is a refreshing departure from longer, three-act productions. It is fast, funny, and deeply empowering.
Modern slang in lyrics
Like in Hamilton, we were impressed and engaged from the use of modern culture references like social media and slang words. There are many examples from Anne Boleyn’s songs. In her signature song, “Don’t Lose Ur Head,” Anne Boleyn uses 21st-century slang and text-speak to portray herself as a rebellious, modern-day influencer.
– “LOL” and “XO baby” to describe her casual and flippant communication with King Henry;
-“Totes”in the line “Everybody chill, it’s totes God’s will,” modernizing the religious justifications of the time.
-“Epic Fail”: Describing the “lame” British dudes she met upon returning from the French court.
-“Sorry, Not Sorry”: The central hook of her song, using a popular social media phrase to remain unapologetic for her actions.
-“Viral”: Referencing her growing unpopularity with the line, “Your comment went viral / I didn’t really mean it but rumors spiral”.
-“Mate” and “Bro”: She frequently uses “mate” (or “bro” in North American productions) to address other characters or the audience.
“-Jel” and “Mental”: Using “jel” for jealous and “mental” for angry when describing Henry’s reaction to her flirting.
-“Prêt à Manger”: A pun on the popular British sandwich chain to suggest she was “ready to eat” (or “ready for it”).
Additionally, in her character’s spoken introduction, she is often depicted as distracted by her phone, further cementing her “fame-hungry influencer” persona.
Costumes: The Evolution of Glamour
While the iconic silhouettes remain, the costumes in 2026 represent a significant technical upgrade from the show’s early days. Original fans will notice that the 2026 costumes have swapped out many of the simpler fabrics for high-durability, custom-molded PVC and 3D-printed elements designed to catch the light from every corner of the theater.
In the original 2017 production, the outfits leaned more toward “DIY-pop-punk,” but the 2026 versions are masterpieces of architectural fashion. For instance, Catherine of Aragon’s gold ensemble now features deeper, more metallic textures that look like molten armor under the new LED lighting rigs. Anne Boleyn’s neon green has been sharpened to a “radioactive” hue that stands out even more. The 2026 costumes utilize “performance-tech” fabrics that allow for the Queens’ athletic movement while maintaining that stiff, regal Tudor structure—ensuring that after nearly a decade of evolution, the “Queens of 2026” look more like intergalactic pop royalty than ever before.
Final Verdict
SIX succeeds because it refuses to treat its subjects as victims. It invites the audience to stop comparing the Queens’ tragedies and start celebrating their individuality. By the time the “Megasix” finale begins—where the Austin crowd is finally encouraged to pull out their phones and join the party—it’s clear that these Queens have finally stepped out of Henry’s shadow and into their own spotlight.
WHO: Texas Performing Arts presents Broadway in Austin
WHEN: Jan, 20-25, 2026, Tues – Thurs at 7:30 pm | Fri at 8 pm | Sat at 2 & 8 pm | Sun at 1 & 6:30 pm
WHERE: Bass Concert Hall | 2350 Robert Dedman Drive | Austin, TX 78712
TICKETS: Start at $35. Tickets are available at texasperformingarts.org and BroadwayinAustin.com, by phone at (512) 477-1444, or from the Texas Performing Arts ticket office at Bass Concert Hall.
Check out all our show reviews at Austin 101 Magazine.
