Review of The King and I at Milton Keynes Theatre, Milton Keynes

While I have now managed to see quite a few stage productions and some films of the works of the pairing of Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II, The King and I, their 1951 musical (their fifth together) has passed me by. So, fresh to story, and mostly fresh to the tunes, did this captivate the way this classic show should?

Anna Leonowens travels with her young son Louis to Siam to teach English to the many, very many, children and many wives of the King. While there she hopes to influence the King and get him to bring his country up to date and follow perhaps the more open world of the Europeans.

A quick glance at the programme of The King and I signals that this performance is going to be in quality hands, with both Annalene Beechey and Darren Lee as Anna and the King sporting remarkable biographies. It shows as they are quite amazing throughout the show. They form an amazing partnership together with their both very strong in character personalities sparking off one another delightfully. Lee especially delivers his often very surprisingly funny lines with panache and excellent timing. Their chemistry together is believable, and also Beechey has a particularly beautiful voice. Stunning work all round.

Young Theo Hanness as Louis (one of four actors on this tour) is a dynamite little talent on stage. Brilliant presence, clear and crisp diction, and a lovely singing voice to boot. He clearly has much ahead of him.

Jessica Gómesing as Tuptim and Ethan Le Phong as Lun Tha form a lovely pairing as the forbidden lovers and their two duets of We Kiss in a Shadow and I Have Dreamed may well bring a tear or two to the eye. It has to be said that Gómesing also has the most amazing voice, shining early on with My Lord and Master.

Simply put, this is an incredible production. It is without question the most lavish touring show I have seen at Milton Keynes. The atmosphere of Siam and the palace drips from the stage with Michael Yeargan's stunning set, setting its stall out in the very first scene with an amazing boat sequence. Onwards into the palace an innovative gliding pillars system brings the King's palace to life and gives a true feeling of its size. Catherine Zuber's costumes create the period in intricate detail as well, making the whole visual aspect impeccable.

As is to be expected the music in this show is simply wonderful, and that doesn't just consist of the songs with lyrics. March of the Siamese Children is a quite beautiful piece of music, and in this production, the sequence is wonderfully presented with the children of the cast each presenting themselves to their new teacher in an increasingly wonderful way. It's a delight, and those in this performance, Hisui Jade Shimada, Kaitlyn Kou, Emily Hill, Aran Forest, Christopher Nguyen and Annabella Ting Chi Man, should take another bow.

The King and I boasts a 14 strong orchestra under the direction of Malcolm Forbes-Peckham, and they sound a delight, breathing depth into all the amazing songs in this production, from those familiar to all, like Getting to Know You and Shall We Dance, and onto all the lesser-known pieces within the work. It sounds stunning and coupled with some very nice choreography from Christopher Gattelli, it all ticks every box on offer for a musical stage show.

Director Bartlett Sher has created a gem of a show with this hugely talented team, a more than worthy recreation of the classic show, which works for old and new fans alike as this production doesn't look to change the original as this feels much like any original Rodgers and Hammerstein. While it is a long show at 2 hours 55 minutes including the interval, musical fans and non-musical fans alike will delight in this magical show.

Stunning, beautiful, divine, breathtaking, astounding, marvellous, etc, etc, etc...
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Performance reviewed: Wednesday 26th February 2020 at Milton Keynes Theatre, Milton Keynes.
The King and I runs at Milton Keynes Theatre until Saturday 7th March 2020.

Further details about Milton Keynes Theatre can be found at http://www.atgtickets.com/venues/milton-keynes-theatre/

Photos: Matthew Murphy

Review of Lord Of The Dance at Royal & Derngate (Derngate), Northampton

The stage show Lord of the Dance possibly needs little introduction to most people, as it has become a legend and now, in this touring version, subtitled rather immodestly, 25 Years of Standing Ovations, it reaches a landmark anniversary. Those that do not know of the show would probably well know its spiritual fathers Michael Flatley, and even more likely Riverdance , from which Lord of the Dance sprung with a proper spring in its step. During the interval of the 1994 Eurovision Song Contest, Riverdance hit the world by storm as Michael Flatley and his troop of dancers possibly presented the most famous part of Eurovision ever, certainly of the non-singing variety at least. Here, this touring show brings that same style Flatley created from traditional Irish dancing across the country once again and it is truly something special to see. The concept of the show is simply a battle between good and evil told through dance, and some captivating and stunning songs performed by Celyn Cartw...

Review of Murder She Didn't Write at Royal & Derngate (Royal), Northampton

Murder She Didn't Write , stopping off for a four-day run at Royal & Derngate on a lengthy UK tour, treads the now well-worn path of an improvisational evening of theatre entertainment. Unsurprisingly, from the title, this show from Degrees of Error's takes a murder mystery as its inspiration, with the story influenced by ideas from the audience each evening. Due to this, Murder She Didn't Write and a review are very much an individual affair. What I saw in my evening at the theatre will differ significantly from what the audience will see the following evening; however, the fine performers will remain. The touring cast, in no particular order, is Lizzy Skrzypiec, Rachael Procter-Lane, Peter Baker, Caitlin Campbell, Stephen Clements, Douglas Walker, Harry Allmark, Rosalind Beeson, Sylvia Bishop, Emily Brady, Alice Lamb, Sara Garrard, Peta Maurice and Matthew Whittle. For my performance, Skrzypiec, Procter-Lane, Baker, Walker, Bishop, and Clements were on stage alongsid...

Review of Calamity Jane at Milton Keynes Theatre

Should you never have seen Calamity Jane before, as I hadn't before catching it on its UK tour's arrival at Milton Keynes Theatre this week, you may still very well know a little about it by its name alone. However, barring a couple of well-known tunes, I knew far less than I thought, and it was an excellent experience of discovery. The story of Calamity Jane recounts the town of Deadwood and, specifically, the tomboy Calamity Jane, full of tales and daring deeds that may or, more likely, did not happen. When the local theatre owner fails to bring the American star promised to the stage, Calam sets it upon herself to get the biggest star of the country to grace that darn stage. Calamity Jane is, at its core, just a jolly old-fashioned musical, filled to the brim with disturbingly simple but very catchy numbers from Sammy Fain and lyrics from Paul Francis Webster. Some you will no doubt recognise, such as Deadwood Stage , Just Blew in from the Windy City , and Secret Love . ...

A Small Mind At The Theatre

Search This Blog