WASHINGTON, D.C. – Six Tudor “roses” burst onto the phase with this sort of fireplace and ferocity the audience breaks into cheers. From the opening number the forged of queens holds the viewers in their thrall. Backed by a sizzling scorching, a few-piece band, the ex-wives of Henry the VIII seductively invite us to react to their shout-outs to the group as they recount tales of their spousal experiences – divorced, beheaded, died, divorced, beheaded, survived. It’s a quirky mnemonic realized by British schoolchildren to remember the fates of all 6 wives.

It seems a quantum leap to choose that system and flip it into a pop slash hip-hop slash rap musical, but it is what it is and as these it turns into the car or truck for woman empowerment. Centered on their specific ordeals, they regale us with the cruelties and vagaries of a infamous king.  But, as we all know, payback’s a bitch. Suffice it to say the from the get-go the viewers is in on the fun… and what enjoyable this crazy, astounding demonstrate is!

Here’s what I was not anticipating. Six The Musical is a pop audio concert – a flashy, splashy, glam and glitzy, rap live performance with 9 memorable numbers that toggle back and forth betwixt the wives’ accounts of what they experienced underneath the king’s edicts. Laid out as a contest for the audience to offer a ultimate vote on which of the females suffered the worst injustices and penultimate punishments, they every make their situation in a mix of avenue-wise jargon and Valley Girl slang. It’s “herstory” against “his-story” and now’s their prospect to come back from the grave with a royal vengeance to weigh in. Breaking the fourth wall to attraction to the viewers, the Queens settle their scores with music and dance whilst vying to win our vote. As these divas say, they have “the riffs to ruffle your ruffs”.