The King and I - London Palladium / Tour / Dominion

Saw this on Friday at Dartford - really very good all round. Helen George sings beautifully, very suited to the classic style of R&H. Darren Lee is fab as the king, great timing. Also very impressive is Marinella Phillips as Tuptim, she basically upstages Anna vocally!

Definitely recommend, it’s really nice to see a more traditional musical performed. I might see it again at the Dominion, I enjoyed it that much.

I agree with you on the cheap appearance of the set, honestly being personally spoiled by usually only seeing things in London, I just kinda accepted that as it being a touring production. I personally did feel a lot of connection to to the show, but I grew up watching the film on repeat on VHS (I’m not that old but my mum loved musical theatre too, so things like King & I, Sound of Music, South Pacific, Hello Dolly are “home” for me). I definitely felt a lot of nostalgia during “Hello Young Lovers” and when they finally twirl around together during “Shall We Dance”. Also loved the “why is your head higher than mine” bits.

Problematic? As much as any white Western mid-century depiction of any other culture, you do need to accept it for what it is, it was written 80 years ago, but personally I don’t find it horrendously offensive overall. The King is portrayed as forward thinking (in some ways - misogyny is just unfortunately a given), and resistant to colonialism - there is an issue that entertainment is derived from caricaturing differences between Thai and British cultures, although seeing as it was written 90 years after the events it depicts, and by Americans, it kinda lampoons Victorian British culture as much as Thai culture. It’s not clear that Anna’s way is always “right” and the kings way is always “wrong”, but the conflict between the two is presented. The current production seems to respect Thai culture to a reasonable degree, and seems to have taken care to cast actors with at least East Asian heritage in appropriate roles, I haven’t exhaustively checked every cast member but it seemed like it.

Not vastly exactly, but not quite as full as the Palladium production. Statues are now just painted flats etc and the ship is... well not a ship!

But it's more than just that really - the production doesn't feel quite as sensitively directed, like maybe Bartlett Sher had a lot less to do with this incarnation.

In fairness its more like continuing the first tour as it was cut short due to covid beginning. Many venues never got to have it that were originally scheduled.

It certainly was quiet. My friend thought we would be seeing Helen at The Mayflower. I'm excited to see Annalene again as I've heard of her (and seen her) and hadn't heard of Helen!

I hope it is announced at some point if Annalene Beechey is going to do the rest of the tour. If she is then I'd like to see her again, having seen her as alternate at the Palladium and in the 2020 tour just before it was cancelled. I'm not interested in seeing Helen George. I can't get to any of the spring/summer venues but could get to some of the autumn ones.

No idea what Helen George is like in it but I thought Annalene Beechey was superior to Kelli OHara when I saw her last week.
Seems a bit of a stretch to present this at the Lowry 8 months after a week at the Palace.

Does anyone know what days Maria Coyne performs?

I sat there for An American in Paris, which was a good few years ago now, but if I remember correctly I think there’s a really wide aisle between the front row and the stage.

Thank you Marob

I will go to see this but waiting for rush tickets, which will surely become available if they hope to start filling this barn of a theatre…

This is going to die a death there. Helen George isn’t any kind of draw.