Reviewed by Lindsey Wilkins
I was super excited to be asked to review an old favourite film of mine, ‘The King and I’, being brought to life live on stage at the Milton Keynes Theatre. The original film was made in 1951, many years before I was born, but I have great memories growing up and watching this wonderful film with my grandparents. It’s a timeless classic, and the show didn’t disappoint.
As always, the theatre was a pleasure to visit. The staff are always friendly and we always feel very well looked after. It’s a lovely theatre situated in the heart of Milton Keynes, surrounded by a very large number of restaurants and bars. The parking is fuss free; it’s right outside the theatre with free parking after 6pm.
Before the show started, we stopped by the theatres very own ‘The Garden Room Piano Bar’ for a quick drink and noticed how fast the theatre was filling up. The atmosphere in the theatre was buzzing. We could clearly see how excited everyone was to see the show. We were promptly shown to our seats by a helpful and friendly member of staff. The theatre was full.
Our seats were very comfortable with plenty of legroom, and our view was great. We couldn’t wait for the show to start.
From the minute the curtain went up we were fixed. It was fabulous.
‘The King and I’ is set in the 1860s in Bangkok, the musical tells a story of the unconventional relationship that develops between the King of Siam and Anna, the British school teacher, whom the King brings to teach his many wives and children.
From start to finish the show was so good, the eye-catching costumes were simply stunning. The singing throughout the whole show was fantastic, the dance routines were absolutely flawless. There was so much talent right there on one stage. We enjoyed the songs especially the classic ‘I Whistle A Happy Tune’ and ‘Getting To Know You’.
The story was beautifully told. There were some happy and sad moments but some great humour too, which got the audience chuckling along several times.
The casting was perfect, the chemistry between the King, played by Darren Lee, and Anna, played by Annalene Beechey, was wonderful. The whole cast were outstanding, but I feel the children deserve a special mention as they were all so talented and kept so professional throughout the whole show.
The show ran for 2 hours and 55 minutes with 1 interval. Despite the length, you could clearly see they loved what they were doing.
I took along my 16-year-old daughter who is a huge musical theatre fan, she thoroughly enjoyed it too.
It was so nice to see the cast receive a well-deserved standing ovation at the end.
Do not miss this stunning show, we had a fabulous time.
Rating: 5/5
Tickets cost from £15 (plus transaction fee of £3.65).
The King and I is at Milton Keynes Theatre from 25 February to 7 March 2020, for more information or to book tickets visit www.atgtickets.com/miltonkeynes or call the box office on 0844 8717652.
Milton Keynes Theatre, 500 Marlborough Gate, Milton Keynes, Bucks, MK9 3NZ
