REVIEW | The King And I, UK Tour

Reviews

17 Feb

★★★★★

Reviewer - Annie

*Disclaimer: Gifted tickets in return for an honest review.

It is not often that you experience things in life that are able to transport you back to your fondest memories, but when it does happen it is the most magical feeling. By now I’m sure many, if not all, of the wonderful readers of Theatre & Tonic, know of the power and magic of Musical Theatre, but admittedly, I had forgotten how nostalgic a musical could be.

Although every show I see will manage to stir up emotions of some sort - whether that be total infatuation with a romantic duo or pure heart-wrenching anguish from a power ballad. However, I have not felt true nostalgia in such a long time. By this, I don’t mean the nostalgia of returning to one of your favourite shows (which I do far too often!) but the total nostalgia of something which had such a prominent place in your heart as a child, yet you have unintentionally placed it so far back in your memory that it doesn’t come up often, if at all, unless evoked.

For me, visiting the latest revival of Rodgers & Hammerstein’s The King and I for its first stop of their tour at New Wimbledon Theatre last night did exactly that.

I knew I loved the show and that there were stellar songs, but it wasn’t until the overture began that I was totally transported back to my childhood - sitting and watching the 1956 film adaptation, mesmerised by the beautiful costumes and dreamy settings. I could instantly remember the entire score and all the tunes I had danced around to for years.

The music is renowned for being well-loved and has been adored for decades - quite rightly for the intricate stylings of Richard Rodgers, which despite all its complexity continues to be iconic music everyone can instantly recognise.

The songs are nothing but either heartwarming, or heart-wrenching. Rodgers & Hammerstein were masters of pulling on your heartstrings and ‘The King and I’ is but one example of their work.

Not only has the music been well-loved for decades, but it also is well-loved across all generations. Whether you are a child witnessing the magical spectacle of ‘The Small House of Uncle Thomas’, or an adult watching the love develop between the King and Anna in ‘Shall We Dance’.

What was so wonderful about this production was that it felt true to the original whilst also feeling current yet classic, without being an imitation of previous productions. Although the show is set centuries before our modern day, and was indeed written not shy of 75 years ago, the show continues to wow audiences and draw in new fans.

This particular revival certainly owes its success to both the casting team and director Bartlett Sher, who have perfectly encaptured the most well-loved moments of the show whilst still managing to create a wonderful new adaptation which totally transports you to Siam, and in my case; my childhood.

The cast is nothing short of perfection - the chemistry feels so pure and honest; both between Anna and the King, and Tuptim & Lun Tha. I must pay credit to both Marienella Phillips and Dean John Wilson for their stunning rendition of ‘I Have Dreamed’, but also Phillips' performance of ‘My Lord and Master’ was incredible - making it look so effortless.

On this, the entire cast were effortlessly sublime - their voices filled the auditorium, and echoed such power and beauty around the room. Although much of the beauty is thanks to the music and lyrics - it takes real talent to deliver performances that are so emotive and effortless.

With the popularity of modern ‘belting’ songs, which cross over into the pop world at times, it was a breath of fresh air to hear some legit musical theatre, performed so beautifully. It perfectly demonstrated that legit/ golden age musicals are a powerhouse in their own right and are my absolute favourite genre if I’m perfectly honest.

With some popular modern shows going on tour this year, I have every confidence that this production is able to do more than stand its ground and shine despite its ‘older’ style, and will attract busily eager audiences for its entire run.

The staging for the show was just wonderful. With a touring production, it sometimes is difficult to gain the same level of intricacy in the set designs as you’d get with a long run in a theatre, what with its nature requiring it to be easily put up and down. However, the staging of this production is incredibly simple in its basics but manages to totally deliver the grandeur and affluence expected with a regal setting and its romanticised surroundings.

Again the costuming is fantastic - feeling true to the classic costumes we all know and love, and honours the different cultures and eras. Filled to the brim with hoop skirts, dazzling jewels and rich colours, it was a joy to witness the many changing costumes and styles.

Credit must be given to the stellar performances of Helen George as ‘Anna’ and Darren Lee as ‘The King of Siam’ - they both lead the show with such strength, bringing so much colour and interest to the roles. I particularly loved the intelligent use of comedy on both parts - both use it with the perfect balance. Moreso a use of sarcasm than blatant “laugh-out-loud” humour which could lend to a ‘spoof’ impression of the roles. However, both manage to strike the perfect balance of their intimate humour with one another whilst letting the audience in on the humour too.

There is so much more I could write on this wonderful production, but with fear of giving too much away, I will leave you with the takeaway that this adaptation is so worth seeing and falling in love with all over again. It is a show that has rightly been loved for many years and will continue to be adored for many more, etcetera etcetera….

The King and I is performing at select venues until June 2023. All ticket information can be found on the ATG Ticket Website.