The King and I at New Victoria Theatre, Woking Review
DISCLOSURE – TICKETS TO SEE THE SHOW WERE GIFTED TO THE REVIEWER AND GUEST FOR THE PURPOSES OF WRITING THE REVIEW
Reviewed by Kelly Victoria
It was such a pleasure to visit the New Victoria Theatre in Woking last night to go and watch the touring production of the Rodgers & Hammerstein classic, The King and I.
I arrived having no preconceived ideas as to what was in store, having never watched the film and only knowing a brief outline of the story. Needless to say, nobody could have prepared me for what a wonderful and splendid show it was going to be.
The show begins with a ship sailing into Siam with recently widowed Anna (Annalene Beechey) accompanied by her son Louis (Louis Levy) who has been enlisted to come and work for the King (Brian Rivera) to teach his children English.
It doesn’t take long for the King and Anna’s relationship to start to develop. Anna, who believes that women aren’t lowly servants and are equal to men, takes the King, with his many wives and children, by surprise with her forthright matter and desire to get the house she was promised by him as part of her contract to work in the palace as an English teacher. She isn’t afraid to challenge the King, which is something that he definitely isn’t used to – especially by a woman.
Only ever having been exposed to subservient women, the King can’t quite understand Anna and finds her a “puzzlement”. Throughout the show they develop heart warming ways to understand and respect each other and their relationship blossoms. The King soon becomes to admire and rely on Anna’s intelligence and seeks her for advice.
Anna also builds a truly wonderful relationship with all the King’s children and they grow to adore her, as she does them, teaching them English and about the world outside of their country. My favourite scene was “Getting To Know You” where you really see this relationship between Anna and the children come to fruition.
News arrives at the palace that the King is being looked upon as a barbarian by the rest of the world and Anna supports the King in putting his best foot forward on a surprise visit from an English diplomat. This brings them closer together and a spark begins.
But it’s that same night that Anna also finds out that she just can’t accept the King’s negligence towards women when he stops Princess Tuptim (Marienella Phillips), his gift from another country, escaping to follow true love. He threatens to beat her and this is all too much for Anna who cannot stand and see this treatment from a man to a woman.
The King never really recovers from this night and ends up with a heart condition resulting in his death. The new Prince Chulalongkorn (Caleb Lagayan) takes over as King and following his learnings from Anna, immediately implements the new rule that women should no longer bow at his feet, with the King’s blessing.
The show is glorious and includes some incredible scenes which are beautifully staged and choreographed by Yuki Ozeki. The quality of the dancing in the show was exceptional and the whole ensemble truly delivered. You could tell that a lot of work had been invested into ensuring the finer details of each number had been worked on, making each number beautifully authentic and they were performed with technique and precision.
A special mention has to go to the young cast who played the King’s children and of course Louis Levy, who played Anna’s son. They were all endearing to watch and each of them played their own individual unique characters superbly.
Annalene Beechey’s portrayal of Anna was a combination of a proper English lady, combined with spirit and humour. Annalene has the most stunning vocals performing each and every song with pitch perfect precision.
Brian Rivera ss the King was also wonderful. Whilst being forthright and firm, he showed the perfect amount of vulnerability and also made the audience belly laugh at times with subtle humour added into his character.
For me, the vocals of the night were performed by Marienella Phillips playing Tuptim. She was exceptional and from the very first note that she sang, I was totally blown away.
The costumes designed by Catherine Zuber, were absolutely exquisite and included some stunning masks also. From the gorgeous traditional Asian clothing, through to Anna’s formal British dresses with huge underskirts, they were a feast for the eyes.
The set designed by Michael Yeargan, was some of the best I’ve seen in a touring show. From the ship featured in the opening scene, to the decadent palace and its grounds. The ever changing scenery was incredible and transported you right into Siam.
I’d thoroughly recommend anyone to go and watch this glorious show. It’s definitely not to be missed and would suit both young and old alike.
The beautiful New Victoria Theatre in Woking is home to the show until Saturday 30th September.
Tickets are available from £22 depending on which performance you choose.
Rating: 4/5
https://www.wokingtheatre.co.uk/theatres/new-victoria-theatre/the-king-and-i.php