Rodgers and Hammerstein‘s masterpiece The King and I is predicated on Margaret Landon’s 1944 novel Anna and the King of Siam and the true memoirs of Anna Leonowens, governess to the kids of King Mongkut of Siam within the early 1860s.
Premiering on Broadway in 1951, The King and I starred Broadway veteran Gertrude Lawrence and a younger Yul Brynner. An immediate hit with audiences, the present ran for almost three years, profitable Tony Awards for Greatest Musical, Greatest Actress (for Lawrence) and Greatest Featured Actor (for Brynner). Subsequent, the King and I hit UK shores the place it performed the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane in 1953 and was significantly obtained by audiences and critic alike. In 1956 The King and I received the silver-screen remedy and a movement image was launched, profitable Brynner an Academy Award. Brynner got here to dominate his function because the King of Siam all through the years, together with starring in a four-year nationwide tour culminating in a 1985 Broadway run shortly earlier than his dying.
Since then The King and I has grow to be a favorite with a number of productions popping up throughout the globe together with many productions by neighborhood theatres, college and college teams, summer season camps and regional theatre corporations. This enduring traditional noticed a fourth Broadway revival in 2015 at Lincoln Heart Theater, this time directed by Bartlett Sher which obtained glowing opinions. Described as “luxurious” (Instances), this manufacturing was nominated for 9 Tony Awards, profitable 4. A US nationwide tour was launched quickly after and this manufacturing transferred to the Dominion Theatre within the West Finish in 2018 and has been touring across the UK ever since.
Now, expertise the enchantment of The King and I because it returns to the Dominion Theatre for a restricted six-week run. Immerse your self in Bartlett Sher’s fascinating manufacturing and let the magic of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s masterpiece sweep you off your ft as soon as extra.
The King and I tells the story of the connection between the King of Siam and Anna Leonowens, a British schoolteacher who’s employed to tutor the King’s many kids. Set within the 1860s, the musical explores themes of tradition conflict, energy dynamics and the complexities of affection. As Anna tries to show the King’s kids, she finds herself difficult the normal customs of the royal courtroom. The King and I is likely one of the best musicals from the golden age of musicals with one of many most interesting scores ever written that includes hits Whistle a Completely satisfied Tune and Shall We Dance.
For this manufacturing, the Tony Award profitable Bartlett Sher (South Pacific, My Truthful Woman, To Kill a Mockingbird) directs Name the Midwife star Helen George as Anna, Broadway stage star Darren Lee (Chicago, Guys and Dolls) because the King of Siam, Dean John-Wilson (Ardour, Merciless Intentions, MTFestUK) as Lun Tha, Marienella Phillips (Henry V, Queen Margaret, To Henry With Love) as Tuptim, Cezarah Bonner (Miss Saigon, Peter Pan, Pirates of Penzance) as Woman Thiang, Kok-Hwa Lie (De Bananengeneratie, The King Of Hell’s Place, Right here Lives Love) as Kralahome, Caleb Lagayan (Les Misérables, Spring Awakening, Newsies) as Prince Chulalongkorn and Sam Jenkins-Shaw (The Evening Watch, Jane Eyre, Residence, I’m Darling) as Captain Orton/Sir Edward Ramsay. The ensemble consists of Chi Chan, Jeffrey Chekai, Emily Grace-Ling, Cher Nicolette Ho, Rachel Wang-Hei Lau, Daniel Len, Sweet Ma, Rachel MacDougall, Amelia Kinu Muus, Yuki Ozeki, Kitt Pakapom, Prem Rai, Ria Tanaka, Hiromi Toyooka, Jasmine Triadi, Jensen Tudtud, Qinwen Xue and Jason Yang-Westland. Because the Royal Youngsters are Harry Altoft, Dexter Barry, Max Ivemey and Charlie McGuire play Anna’s son Louis; and Bethany Campbell, Coco Bridger, Cody Concha, Ethan Fung, Dulcie-Bella Hackley, Caitlin Lau, Khun Cho Lwin, Angelica Quynh An Nguyen, Tenzin Noryang, Sabri Leonel Puci, Niall Rina, Francis Benedict Sarte, Mia Snowdon, Yuen Zhai and Phoebe Zhao-Welsh.
Helen George as Anna is totally sensible. Main well-known classics like Whistle a Completely satisfied Tune, Getting To Know You and We could Dance, George simply handles the Rogers and Hammerstein rating with vocal finesse and actually makes the half her personal. Darren Lee is an enthralling King of Siam and his general Puzzlement was palpable all through. Marienella Phillips and Dean John-Wilson because the tragic younger lovers Tuptim and Lun Tha sang superbly of their silent coronary heart break which introduced a tear to the audiences eyes. Cezarah Bonner as Woman Thiang was completely gorgeous. She held the viewers within the palm of her hand all through and her One thing Great introduced the home down. The big ensemble performed many characters to permit the story to unfold, together with a lovely The Small Home of Uncle Thomas ballet in Act Two which featured Jason Yang-Westland in a stand out choreography second because the Angel in a stunning pa da deux with Rachel Wang-Hei Lau’s Eliza.
Making this manufacturing much more of a spectacle is Michael Yeargan’s set design. Sprawling set items and wealthy colors envelop the Dominion Theatre drawing the viewers into this traditional story. Bartlett Sher’s manufacturing touches on the social points introduced within the script with new gentle. For instance, within the authentic manufacturing whereas the tune Western Folks Humorous might have been a slight tongue and cheek second, Sher has his solid sing this instantly on the viewers turning a mirror on ourselves and asking us to think about our westernised tradition and the way alien this would possibly seem to some. Sher additionally locations energy into the palms of the lady on this manufacturing, commenting on feminism and displaying simply how a lot the lads within the story depend on their feminine counterparts for his or her intelligence and demanding considering. Whereas not fairly as radical as Daniel Fish’s Oklahoma! just lately seen within the West Finish, this manufacturing of The King and I permits us to reexamine the work whereas paying reverence to the attractive Rodgers and Hammerstein rating.
Bartlett Sher’s manufacturing of The King and I is totally gorgeous. Followers of the musical will love seeing the acquainted characters and listening to the melodic rating as soon as once more and new viewers members will likely be wrapped up within the glitz of this lovely manufacturing. Taking part in a restricted six-week run on the Dominion Theatre, ensure you get tickets to this musical theatre masterpiece.
Reviewed by Stuart James
