The King & I

It’s always a lovely treat to go to Eyemouth and even more so for The King and I. Having been cast twice in my own local company and reported on numerous occasions, I still have never tired of the show and enjoy sitting back  to report on each new interpretation. An uplifting opening of the arrival to Bangkok. Mrs Anna and son Louis appeared natural together as mother and son as they sang ‘I Whistle a Happy Tune’ to offset the apprehension felt on starting their new life, where Anna becomes teacher to the royal children. The first introduction to Siamese dancing as we open into the palace, was a real highlight, with such beautifully expressive arm movements, which were carried through in all the oriental movement. Mrs Anna was very well cast, with the right amount of strength of character and beautiful vocal tones which never faltered throughout the whole show. ‘Hello Young Lovers’ and ’Shall we Dance’ were excellent, not forgetting the frustrated outpouring of emotion during the bedroom soliloquy. A colourful scarlet and gold  theme was used in the picturesque school room scene, which was absolutely delightful in ‘Getting To Know You’. The children were excellent and all fully engaged in every movement. They appeared entranced by Mrs Anna, even when she joined the dancers, who once again danced beautifully with fans.  Head wife, Lady Thiang, held a calm air of elegance in her role and executed an emotional plea in ’Something Wonderful’  to  an appreciative audience. The King’s Burmese ‘gift’, Tuptim, a victim of slavery, was very well portrayed and had a strong contralto with limited soprano vocal range, which meant that some of the higher notes had been changed to suit, but it worked well. The young lovers, Tuptim and the ill-fated Lun Tha, were obviously comfortable and sang their duets with complete ease, especially when picking up the harmonies in ‘I Have Dreamed’. The King of Siam must have a strong presence on stage, as this King did, showing great pride introducing his wives (in favour) and royal children and also coping very well with his expressive rendition of ‘A Puzzlement’. The Act 1 finale was extremely effective, with negotiations between The King and Mrs Anna and his promise to Buddha, being stirring for everyone.  Act 2  always seems to fly through, although has so much more drama and keeps you on the edge of your seat at times when played well. This was the case with Eyemouth’s production. The momentum of act 2 leading up to the dramatic capture of Tuptim was seamless. The Small House of Uncle Thomas presentation by Tuptim and the story’s Dance Characters  was one of the best I’ve seen. Everyone involved lived and acted the anguish and fear of slavery. The expressions, costumes, choreography from start to finish was stunning, and the choral support was also excellent. The support of the smaller cameo roles  and the slick scene changes all played their part in the success of this production.The emotional conclusion, as most people know, is the death of the King, which gives the young Prince his opportunity to shine as he makes new proclamations, and this he did very well. It is a good finale that draws a tear or two and I’m sure there were quite a few in the audience. Huge Congratulations on a lovely production, I thoroughly enjoyed my evening in Eyemouth again. Thank you for your kind hospitality.

© NODA CIO. All rights reserved.