Annalene Beechey and Jose Llana in The King and I at the Opera House, Manchester and Touring. Pictures: Johan Persson
The King and I continues at the Opera House, Manchester until 11 May 2019 and then tours until 2 May 2020.
Star rating: five stars ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
From the breath-taking opening scene (credit to set designer Michael Yeargan), as you view Annalene Beechey’s Anna and her young son Louis (Lewis Fernée) arriving on the Chow Phya boat into the docks of Bangkok, back lit with the bright red sky behind them, you can see why this Lincoln Center production, directed by Bartlett Sher, has won rave reviews from Broadway to the West End, and now starting the UK tour in Manchester.
The Rodgers and Hammerstein musical features a beautiful score with much-loved songs including ‘I Whistle a Happy Tune’, ‘Getting to Know You’ and ‘Shall We Dance?’, through to the delightful duet from the young lovers of the show Lun Tha (Kavin Panmeechao) and Tuptim (Kamm Kunaree) singing ‘We Kiss in a Shadow’.
The costumes, designed by Catherine Zuber, are rich with the culture of this period piece set in mid-19th century, though with themes relevant today from women’s equality: “Why do you call me Sir?” enquires Anna to the ladies
of the palace, with the response: “Why you are person of science, woman too lowly to be person of science,” to the merits of international trade agreements that are troubling the King Of Siam, played by Jose Llana, best known for his roles on Broadway.
Plus ça change, plus c’est la même chose, as the new French colonies of Siam’s neighbouring countries of Vietnam and Cambodia would say.
This is a fun show too, from the King’s facial expressions bringing laughter to the packed theatre to the delightful cast of actors playing the children of the palace who possess talent and cuteness in equal measure.
Special mention deserves to be made of the fantastic dance sequences throughout the show, particularly the ballet in ‘The Small House of Uncle Thomas’ scene in Act II, choreographed by Christopher Gattelli.
This is a wonderful chance to go and see a glorious production, full of charm, delight and emotion etc, etc and so forth as the King would say.
Elaine Gallacher
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