The King and I – review (AD)
I was kindly invited to the press preview of the King and I at the Sunderland Empire*.
This was my first visit to the Sunderland Empire in a long time and I’d also never seen the King and I on stage before so I was particularly excited.
My mam is a big fan of the film and we haven’t had a little date just the two of us in forever so she was my plus one.
We arrived and went upstairs to the bar area next to the Garden Place Bistro entrance for our welcome drinks – a glass of red for my mam and water for bump and I.
Our seats were in the dress circle and our view was great so we settled into our seats for the show to begin.
The King and I synopsis
Set in 1860s Bangkok, the musical tells the story of the unconventional and tempestuous relationship that develops between the King of Siam and Anna Leonowens, a British schoolteacher whom the modernist King, in an imperialistic world, brings to Siam to teach his many wives and children.
It stars Jose Llana direct from Broadway as The King and Annalene Beechey from the West End production as Anna.
The King And I is embarking on a World Tour direct from its record breaking sold out season at The London Palladium.
The King And I is the greatest musical from the golden age of musicals – adored by the public and critics alike – with one of the finest scores ever written including; Whistle a Happy Tune, Getting to Know You, and Shall We Dance, featuring a company of more than 50 world-class performers and a full-scale orchestra.
A celebration of the lavish heritage of the very best in romantic musical theatre from an unparalleled multi-award-winning creative team, hailed as one of the best working in theatre today, directed by Tony Award winner Bart Sher (South Pacific & My Fair Lady – Broadway).
This is a once in a lifetime opportunity to witness this glorious production, as you have never seen it before.
Music by RICHARD RODGERS
Book and Lyrics by OSCAR HAMMERSTEIN II
Directed by Tony Award Winner BARTLETT SHER
What did we think of the King and I?
We absolutely loved it so much so my mam has booked tickets for her and my nana to go next week.
It started a little slow but this was scene setting and the pace soon picked up.
The opening scene of Anna and her son arriving on the boat took my breath away – it was beautifully done.
Soon enough we were transported away from Sunderland to Bangkok and singing along with the songs we remember from our childhoods.
The staging was minimal – the actors and their singing were more than enough to transport the audience.
However, the attention to detail by the designers was obvious and the sets were fabulous.
I was really impressed with all of the costumes, especially the show-stopping Shall We Dance dress; which weighs 40lbs with a circumference of 14ft and is valued at £15,000.
Annalene Beechey is absolutely perfect as Anna. Her voice is fantastic and the rapport she has with Jose Llana (the King) really makes this a performance you want to watch.
There were many laugh out loud moments – particularly from the children but also from the King too.
Jose’s got a plethora of facial expressions and mannerisms which had us all belly laughing.
The musicians must get a mention as the musicality was just fantastic.
At the interval we had a quick top up of drinks and joined the queue for some delicious ice cream before heading back to our seats for the rest of the show.
I really enjoyed the King and I from start to finish and if you get a chance to go and see it – do it it’s really worth it.
The Sunderland Empire
Opened in 1907 as the Empire Palace, this 1,860 seater is one of the largest theatres in the North East. The dome and tower part of the building has recently been refitted with a state-of-the-art LED and floodlight system that illuminates the main entrance in the evening.
Address: 4–5 High Street West, Sunderland, Tyne And Wear, SR1 3EX
Enquiries: 0844 871 3022
The King and I is at the Sunderland Empire from 5-15 June 2019.
Tickets are available in person at the Box Office on High Street West, from the Ticket Centre on 0844 871 3022 or online at www.ATGtickets.com/Sunderland**
**Calls cost 7p per minute plus your plus your phone company’s access charge. Booking and transaction fees may apply.
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*Disclaimer
This review has been written with 100% honesty.
I was not financially compensated for this post. I was invited to the press preview of this show in return for an honest review. The opinions expressed in this post are completely my own based on my own experience.
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I used to love the songs from this! You must have had such a blast!! 😀
It was a brilliant performance. I haven’t stopped singing since last week!
Oh wow, sounds incredible! Glad you had an amazing time seeing this – Hope when your mum goes (again) and your nana they have a fab time too! Great review, Rachael 🙂
Caz xx
She’s going with my Nana on Thursday – she hasn’t stopped talking about it!
I am glad you enjoyed the show and the ice cream
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