The King and I **** TNT
It takes a while to adjust to the vast space but, with the help of Rodgers & Hammerstein’s catchy, well-known melodies, Jeremy Sams’ sumptuously-designed production soon finds its feet as feisty widow Anna arrives at the court of the King of Siam to undertake the tuition of the most favoured of his numerous offspring – 67 and still counting. The sheer scale precludes any intimacy, but there’s still much to enjoy.
Based on a romanticised version of the true story of Anna Leonowens (who lived in Siam in the 1860’s) this 1951 collaboration depicts a ruler who wants his country to benefit from the best that Western knowledge has to offer, yet still expects his numerous wives to bow down before him. There are serious issues here (and, for her part, Anna is more than eager to impose imperialist values on this foreign culture) but it’s the score and the more joyful moments that have ensured this musical’s enduring popularity.
Playing in the round to a potential audience of thousands isn’t easy, and Lost star Daniel Dae Kim hasn’t quite the stern authority of his bald-headed cinematic predecessor Yul Brunner. And - no matter how superior this monarch thinks he is – he can’t match the women when it comes to delivering a song. But he has a boyishly stubborn temper combined with a hint of danger which adds interest to the respect which develops between him and Maria Friedman’s equally strong-willed Anna.
With their backgrounds in opera and musical theatre, Yanle Zhong’s lovesick Tuptim (the reluctant latest addition to his harem) and Jee Hyun Lim’s dignified Lady Thiang (wife number one) give beautifully sung renditions of the haunting We Kiss in a Shadow and Something Wonderful. And Friedman’s performance and voice are pure joy throughout – despite the constraints imposed by the voluminous crinoline she wears as East and West briefly come together and the English governess polkas with the Siamese King.
Royal Albert Hall , Kensington Gore, SW7 2AP tube South Kensington (020 7838 3100) Till 28 June (£ 21.50 - £62.50)
No comments:
Post a Comment