It's time for my review of The King and I.I had previously seen the Lincoln Center Theatre production of The King and I in Washington, D.C. last Summer, starring Laura Michelle Kelly and Jose Llana. The production that i viewed in Washington was very enjoyable, however there were a few issues with the set, lighting and sound design. I was therefore rather interested in seeing the West End transfer to see if there were any differences. I am pleased to say that I was pleasantly surprised with the West End transfer, and there were absolutely no issues with either the sound or lighting design. As a result, I found this production to be far more enjoyable than the version that I had seen in Washington, D.C.
The score of The King and I, composed by Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein, is truly delightful. It is filled with a great deal of memorable songs, which I will personally never tire of. There are some beautiful melodies throughout the show and the lyrics are particularly witty. Personal favourites of mine include 'Hello, Young Lovers', 'The March of Siamese Children', 'Getting to Know You' and 'Shall We Dance?'.
After performing the role of Anna Leonowens on Broadway and receiving a Tony Award for her portrayal, Kelli O'Hara is now making her West End debut with this performance. O'Hara is so utterly perfect for the role of Anna. There is a large amount of warmth in her portrayal, making her interactions with the Royal Children a delight to watch. O'Hara also has a beautiful voice; all of the songs of which she performed were enchanting. Additionally, her pronunciation when singing is very good and all of what she says is crystal clear. Playing opposite Kelli O'Hara is Ken Watanabe as the King of Siam, who also performed the role on Broadway and is also making his West End debut. I personally found Watanabe's characterisation of the role to be rather effective. He begins by portraying the King of Siam as being rather serious and somewhat impulsive, however his humanity and caring side is later shown during his interactions with Anna, and this was perfectly enraptured by Watanabe's performance.
On the creative side of things, this production excels for the most part. The costumes, which have been designed by Catherine Zuber, are magnificent. The bright colours and extensive details of the costumes are splendid, and they may be amongst the best costumes I have ever seen on a West End stage. The lighting design was also rather effective. Considering that the US Tour version of this production appeared to have certain difficulties with lighting, I was pleased to see that there were absolutely no issues with lighting at the London Palladium. Another aspect which was rather impressive was the choreography, all of which was carried out flawlessly by a brilliant ensemble. My only criticism for the creative aspects of this play would be the scenery. Whilst the set used in the opening scene is astounding, the rest of the show is performed in front of a grey castle wall back-drop, which appeared to be somewhat bland.
My only other criticism for this production would be the musical number 'The Small House of Uncle Thomas'. This ballet, which takes place in Act 2, currently stands at being just under 15 minutes long. I personally felt that the length of this number could be shortened, as in its current form it feels a little too long.
I am very glad that The King and I has returned to the West End, and I am thrilled that Kelli O'Hara and Ken Watanabe have reprised their performances for this production. I was delighted to have the opportunity to see The King and I once again!
The featured star of The King and I is, drum roll please... KELLI O'HARA!
I have awarded Kelli O'Hara with the title of featured star as she truly was flawless. Her performance was a delight to watch and she seems so well-suited to the role of Anna. Her renditions of songs such as 'Hello, Young Lovers' and 'Getting to Know You' are spectacular!
Now for my final verdict on The King and I. I give The King and I...
When I first saw the production in Washington, D.C., I gave it three stars due to the fact that there were issues with both the lighting and sounds design. However, as the West End transfer has rectified these issues, I believe that the production is worthy of four stars!
Think it should have got a higher rating? Agree with my rating? Think it should have got a lower rating? If so comment below.
Thanks for reading!
-The Reviewer
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