Broadway has been graced with quite a bit of royalty considering the “SIX” queens that currently occupy the stage at the Brooks Atkinson Theatre, vying for the title of the most victimized wife of Henry VIII. Appropriately titled “SIX,” the musical gives each of these candidates the opportunity to convince their audience with a musical number which describes their individual suffering. Although this is an interesting concept, the actors fortunately transcend the trite material with their excellent voices and relentless energy. The flimsy plot by Toby Marlow and Lucy Moss is exposed in the opening number “Ex-Wives,” sung by the ensemble, explaining that this is a contest which will reveal who suffered the worst torment during their reign. What follows is each queen delivering her sob story categorized by the terms “divorced, beheaded, died, or survived.” The outcome seems more like an episode of the old daytime series “Queen for a Day.”

Despite these shortcomings, what this show has going for it is the audience. It has its following, which is evident as the Queens are welcomed with exuberant applause before they even begin to sing. It is loud and electrifying, with the all-woman band on stage backing up the group and resembles a rock concert more than a Broadway musical. Choreography by Carrie-Anne Ingrouille becomes repetitious and uninventive as each queen struts her stuff. Costume design by Gabriella Slade is classic “Gothic Punk” using color to depict the different personalities of each queen. The lighting design by Tim Deiling is bright and bold, turning the theater into a concert arena with a magnificent display of dazzling electrical fireworks. Direction by Lucy Moss and Jamie Armitage keeps the show moving at a lively pace but fails to evoke any depth from the characters which generates narration or storytelling rather than role playing.

The cast is superior on all levels and provides eighty minutes of non-stop entertainment. No one queen shines more than another and revels in this being an ensemble piece. That may be the problem. After all is said and done, the Queens support each other as performers and characters that does nothing to validate the premise that they are competing with each other. Then again, what’s the difference if you can go to the theatre and have an enjoyable time.