The show begins with the arrival by boat of Anna (Annalene Beechey) and her young son Louis, the Captain (Sam Jenkins-Shaw) pointing out the lights of Bangkok in the distance. Culture shock kicks in as Kralahome (Sam Yo), the prime minister, arrives “half naked” and waiting people immediately want to see the mysterious shape of the English woman, wearing a floor-length wide-hooped skirt, as was the Victorian fashion. It’s a good job Anna has already taught her son to ‘Whistle a Happy Tune’ whenever she’s scared. Her strong character immediately objects to being lied to about their accommodation, of the broken contract between employer and employee, and the scene is set for many clashes between Anna and the King (Brian Rivera).

When we first meet the King, he’s anguished over the future of his country, with nearby Cambodia about to be protected by the French; lose their independence. The show is based on the 1940s novel Anna And The King Of Siam by Margaret Landon, who based her story about true events and people in Asia.   

A gift arrives for the King, from Burma, a young slave girl, Tuptim (Marienella Phillips), who will become his latest wife. Her escort, Lun Tha (Dean John-Wilson) is her secret lover, and their story mirrors events in the USA at the time. Tuptim asks Anna if she has the book about the little house in the woods where Tom lives; the 1850s anti-slavery novel Uncle Tom’s Cabin, by Hariet Beecher Stowe, had a profound effect on attitudes towards African-Americans in America. Indeed, this book is the impetus for a turning point towards the end of the show, an intense clash of cultures, when Tuptim performs this play for visiting English dignitaries. 

The show has appeared on Broadway, with Yul Brynner playing the original role of the King, and in the West End, since the 1950s, and was made into a film in 1956, starring Brynner and Deborah Kerr, during the latter part of Hollywood’s Golden Age. 

The show really belongs to the future generation of actors, with the young performers stealing the limelight effortlessly, each time they’re talking, singing or dancing. Louis, the Royal children and Prince Chulalongkorn, are spot on with their dialogue, timing and sheer confidence on stage, the younger children owning quite physical comedic roles.  

The costumes of Anna’s hooped dresses, the Royal wives’ traditional dresses and the play-within-the-play outfits are absolutely breathtaking, helped to stand out even more by a simplistic set design, of which huge curtains and small stools are the rotating characters.  

The iconic musical numbers, including ‘Getting to Know You’ ‘A Puzzlement’ and ‘Shall We Dance’ were performed superbly, bringing smiles to faces and warmth to hearts. The developing affection between Anna and the King worked well on stage, as they began to understand one another.  

However, I did feel that the show was a little too long, at two hours and forty minutes, and it’s not for people who need to fidget. With the film, if not the pause button, there is more comfortable seating. The history of the story doesn’t really work for today’s audience, so there’s an element of appreciating this as a classic Rodgers and Hammerstein show, set almost two hundred years ago (give or take a decade) – the duo were responsible for shows which are still performed on stages today, including ‘Oklahoma!’ and ‘The Sound of Music’.

Cast: Annalene Beechey, Brian Rivera, Cezarah Bonner, Sam Jenkins-Shaw, Dean John-Wilson, Caleb Lagayan, Sam Yo, Marienella Phillips, Josh Bortoloso, Fin Goodman, Louis Levy, Charlie McGuire and ensemble Music and Lyrics: Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II Costumes: Catherine Zuber Sets: Michael Yeargan Musical Supervisor: Ted Sperling Directed by: Bartlett Sher Running Time: 2 hours and 40 minutes Theatre: Theatre Royal Plymouth Performance Dates: 19th – 23rd September 2023 

The post ‘The King and I’ at Theatre Royal Plymouth review appeared first on Entertainment Focus.

Set in 1860s Bangkok, the musical boasts one of the finest scores ever written, including Whistle a Happy Tune, Getting to Know You and Shall We Dance, and features a company of over 50 world-class performers with full-scale orchestra.

Directed by Bartlett Sher and produced by the celebrated creative team that brought the production to the Palladium, the musical tells the story of the unconventional and tempestuous relationship that develops between the King of Siam and Anna Leonowens, a British schoolteacher whom the modernist King, in an imperialistic world, brings to Siam to teach his many wives and children.

Performing as Anna, fresh from her West End success, will be Annalene Beechey, and reprising his critically acclaimed Broadway performance as The King will be Jose Llana. The two stars have been wowing audiences since the musical embarked on its international tour earlier this year.

“The response from London audiences to this multi award-winning production of The King and I was unprecedented,” says Producer Howard Panter.

“Critical plaudits, Box Office records and standing ovations at every show – we were overwhelmed with the rapturous response. This really is musical theatre at its very best, so we are thrilled that we can now share this wonderous production with theatre lovers up and down the country next year.”

The King and I is at Leeds Grand Theatre from Tuesday 29th October to Saturday 9th November 2019. Book online at leedsgrandtheatre.com or call Box Office on 0844 848 2700

The post The King and I comes to Leeds Grand Theatre appeared first on Entertainment Focus.

Following its critically acclaimed Broadway smash hit run and a sold-out, record-breaking season at the London Palladium, the multi Tony award-winning production will embark on a major UK tour this spring — which features a run at Leeds Grand Theatre from Tuesday 29 October to Saturday 9 November 2019.

Set in 1860s’ Bangkok, the musical boasts one of the finest scores ever written, including Whistle a Happy Tune, Getting to Know You and Shall We Dance, and features a company of over 50 world-class performers with full-scale orchestra.

Directed by Bartlett Sher and produced by the celebrated creative team that brought the production to the Palladium, the musical tells the story of the unconventional and tempestuous relationship that develops between the King of Siam and Anna Leonowens, a British schoolteacher whom the modernist King, in an imperialistic world, brings to Siam to teach his many wives and children.

Producer Howard Panter says: “The response from London audiences to this multi award-winning production of The King and I was unprecedented. Critical plaudits, Box Office records and standing ovations at every show – we were overwhelmed with the rapturous response. This really is musical theatre at its very best, so we are thrilled that we can now share this wonderous production with theatre lovers up and down the country next year.”

The King and I is at Leeds Grand Theatre from Tuesday 29 October to Saturday 9 November 2019. Tickets are now available. Book online at leedsgrandtheatre.com or call Box Office on 0844 848 2700.

The post King and I at Leeds Grand Theatre appeared first on Entertainment Focus.

Set in 1860s Bangkok, the musical tells the story of the unconventional and tempestuous relationship that develops between the King of Siam and Anna, a British schoolteacher whom the modernist King, in an imperialistic world, brings to Siam to teach his many wives and children.

Featuring fan favourite show numbers such as Getting to Know You, Whistle a Happy Tune and Shall We Dance, the popular production transferred to the London Palladium in June 2018, with the three original Broadway lead actors reprising their starring roles – Tony Award-winner (Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical for The King and I) Kelli O’Hara, Tony and Oscar nominee Ken Watanabe and Tony Award-winner (Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Musical for The King and I) Ruthie Ann Miles.

The London production continues to draw huge critical acclaim, smash box office records – including the biggest grossing week in the London Palladium’s history, taking £1,058,317.50 for an eight performance week, play to packed houses and receive nightly standing ovations.

Directed by Tony Award-winner Bartlett Sher, it first opened on Broadway in 2015 for a critically acclaimed 16 month run at The Lincoln Center Theater, this was followed by an unprecedented record-breaking sold out USA tour.

Don’t miss your chance to see the show the critics are raving about, etcetera etcetera etcetera…

Title: The King and I: From The Palladium Date: 29 November 2018 (*additional US date: 4th December 2018) Cast: Kelli O’Hara, Ken Watanabe, Ruthie Ann Miles
Runtime: 180 mins TBC Certificate: 12A TBC Tickets: www.kingandimusicalcinema.com

Watch the exclusive new trailer below now:

The post The King and I: From The Palladium released in cinemas for one night only appeared first on Entertainment Focus.

The multi Tony Award-winning production will transfer from Broadway to London this summer following a critically acclaimed sixteen-month run at New York’s Lincoln Center Theater and an unprecedented continuing record-breaking sold out USA tour.

The London show will star three of the original Lincoln Center Theater lead actors: Broadway Musical Royalty Kelli O’Hara, reprising her Tony Award-winning role of Anna Leonowens, film star, Oscar and Tony nominee (for his role on The King and I) Ken Watanabe in the title role of The King of Siam, and Ruthie Ann Miles reprising her Tony Award winning role of Lady Thiang. All three actors will be making their West End debuts, following their acclaimed performances on Broadway.

Dean John-Wilson (who starred in the title role of Disney’s original West End production of Aladdin) and Na-Young Jeon will play the young lovers, Lun Tha and Tuptim.

Acclaimed Tony Award-winning Bartlett Sher will once again direct the production, hot on the heels of his work on The Lincoln Center Theater’s World Premiere of J.T. Rogers’ smash hit play Oslo, which opened on Broadway and then transferred via the National Theatre to London’s Harold Pinter Theatre in October last year to rave reviews. He, along with the celebrated creative team behind the award winning production of South Pacific, will reunite to bring this majestic production to life at the Palladium.

With music by Richard Rodgers, book and lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II, The King and I will open its European Premiere at the London Palladium, booking until 29 September 2018.

One of Rodgers & Hammerstein’s finest works, this masterpiece boasts a score featuring such beloved classics as Getting To Know You, Hello Young Lovers, Shall We Dance, I Have Dreamed, and Something Wonderful. Set in 1860s Bangkok, the musical tells the story of the unconventional and tempestuous relationship that develops between the King of Siam and Anna Leonowens, a British schoolteacher, whom the imperious King brings to Siam to tutor his many wives and children.

See KingandIMusical.co.uk for details, including booking.

The post The King and I comes to the London Palladium with previews from June appeared first on Entertainment Focus.