By Trudi-Rose Edwards
★★★★
The award-winning Broadway production of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s The King and I is back in London’s West End, setting up camp for a limited season at the Dominion Theatre. Starring Helen George of Call the Midwife fame as Anna Leonowens, a widowed teacher who travels with her young son to Siam where she takes up a post as governess to the children of the King of Siam, played by the exceptional Darren Lee.
The King and I is a gem of a show from the golden age of musicals, often overlooked in favour of the likes of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s other governess-centric piece The Sound of Music or Lerner and Loewe’s My Fair Lady. Which is a real injustice – The King and I is jam-packed with everything that makes an old-school musical special; catchy, memorable tunes; charming choreography; witty dialogue; stunning costumes. There’s honestly not much to dislike.
The story is hardly new – kind-hearted governess arrives in unfamiliar surroundings to instruct unruly and melt the chilly exterior of their dominating father – but who’s complaining? It’s a plotline that’s been loved again and again for generations.
Helen George’s Anna is the perfect balance of maternal kindness and witty assertiveness, her verbal sparrings with the king are some of the highlights of the show (which, given the casts talent and the songs on display, is a real testament) and her chemistry with Darren Lee fizzes on stage. Her quality acting enhances her singing which, although serviceable, doesn’t threat to bring the house down akin to previous interpretations.
Darren Lee plays the King as a lovable rogue and is a formidable presence on stage. He brings a real energy to proceedings and is believable both in his moments of fury and the gentler times, as well as leaning heavily into the more comedic aspects of the character (et cetera, et cetera springs to mind).
The supporting cast are wonderful too, particularly Cezarah Bonner’s regal turn as Lady Thiang and Dean John-Wilson as Lun Tha whose vocals are by far the strongest of the company.
The performances are complemented by the stunning costumes – we’re talking Thai silks and Victorian-era hooped skirts – which haven’t strayed from the Tony (and Oscar) award-winning originals created by designer Irene Sharaff.
The sets too are impressive, not least the enormous ship that protrudes the stage in the opening scene, however, given the size of the Dominion Theatre (one of London’s largest) it seems that perhaps the stage could have been better used in some instances to enhance the spectacle.
But this is a minor quibble.
The King and I is as good now as it ever was with marvellous singing, acting and dancing – the play’s most iconic number Shall We Dance? is a thrill to see live and doesn’t disappoint – it is absolutely worth seeing before the limited run says “goodnight and means goodbye”.
The King and I Musical is on at The Dominion Theatre until March 2
Photos by Johan Persson