Who doesn’t love a bit of Rogers & Hammerstein on a wet Tuesday evening at Halloween?
After seeing my grandchildren head out to trick or treat I dashed over to the beautiful Leeds Grand Theatre to catch The King & I in all its Victorian glory.
The Royal Palace in Bangkok is a sumptuous setting for a musical as we join the King of Siam and once the overture started we knew that what lay beyond the full stage sized gold cloth was going to be very special indeed.
It is wonderful to see what most regard as an original Great American Songbook Broadway musical. This was Rogers’ second partnership with Hammerstein and these musicals so often get dismissed by critics as sentimental, but you really don’t have to look far to see Rogers tackling serious subjects. Oklahoma! and Carousel both have death as their central theme, with wife beating too in Carousel. South Pacific is about racial intolerance and even in the Sound of Music, often accused of being sweet and sugary, the Nazis are a central element of the plot.
The King & I is based on Margaret Landon’s book “Anna and the King of Siam” (1944), which was inspired by the real-life adventures of Anna Harriette Leonowens, a British governess who worked for King Mongkut of Siam.
The Broadway production of The King and I was a huge success and the film version was received with equal enthusiasm. The formidable King of Siam becomes all too human and prone to self-doubt when he meets Anna, a “proper” English widow who has travelled to Siam to serve as his children’s governess, teaching them the ways of the Western world.
Despite their vastly different backgrounds, Anna and the King learn to respect and even admire each other. The piece touches on some world politics of that time, the French protectorate of Cambodia, the mistreatment of women, slavery and with the death of the King in the closing scenes this is not a fluffy, sentimental night out although with crinolines, adorable children, lush textiles and with humour inter woven you can simply sit and let the score, the lyrics and the glorious singing wash over you. Incidentally, research tells me that the film has never been officially allowed in Thailand. Read into that what you will.
The standout feature for me is the music brought to life by the incredibly talented cast and musicians of this latest tour, which after being originally produced by the Lincoln Center Theater Productions has landed on our shores. Seeing it performed live is quite simply breath-taking and Annalene Beechey (Anna Leonowens) delivered a pitch perfect and seemingly effortless performance, in all aspects. It is visibly clear that Annalene and Darren Lee, who was commanding as the King, both had an endearing connection and a lot of fun performing ‘Shall We Dance?’ All the vocals were truly outstanding, especially the soloists Cezarah Bonner as Lady Thiang, Dean John-Wilson as Lun Tha. Caleb Lagayan as Prince Chulalongkorn and Marianela Phillips as Tuptim.
Additionally, the Royal Children in ‘Getting to Know You’ are fantastic receiving many collective “awws” from the audience every time they come on stage. Just adorable.
Special mention must also be made of the beautifully staged ballet ‘The Small House of Uncle Thomas’ as the dancing was sublime. Beautiful control, flexibility, precise technique and stunningly impressive costumes. The attention to cultural detail cannot be overlooked.
There were clearly lots of Rogers & Hammerstein stalwart fans in the house as people were up on their feet before the start of the finale. The ovation was well deserved. The lady sitting next to me was living and loving every moment and rightly so. As with any work of art, it’s important to view The King and I through a critical lens, acknowledging its strengths and weaknesses. Whilst it is definitely not a show of our time it remains a powerful and influential piece of musical theatre that continues to captivate audiences over seventy years after its Broadway debut.
On until Saturday 4th November at Leeds Grand Theatre. Why not catch it in Leeds before it heads into the West End in 2024? Not to be missed!
https://leedsheritagetheatres.com/whats-on/the-king-and-i-2023/
Reviewed and written by Dean Morgan
