Photo Credit: Matthew Murphy
Watching the splendid production of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s The King and I come to life at Uihlein Hall last week was like listening to many memorable—and hummable—tunes from the ’50s: “I Whistle a Happy Tune,” “Hello Young Lovers,” “We Kiss in a Shadow” and “Shall We Dance?” among others. Songs so uplifting with gorgeous melodies that we are quickly transported to 1860s Siam, where Welsh governess Anna Leonowens comes to teach English and “Westernize” the 67 (and counting) royal children of the King of Siam.
Based on Leonowens’ memoirs, The King and I has been a success from its very start: memoir to novel, film, theater, back to film and with numerous stage revivals. This current tour is based on the 2015 Broadway revival, and Marcus Center audiences saw a first-rate production, start to finish, with a top-notch ensemble of actors who can sing, dance and do just about anything else, like fall to the floor and bow to the king as if it’s an easy yoga move.
Photo Credit: Matthew Murphy
Rodgers and Hammerstein wrote uplifting musicals with memorable scores, but the duo was always ahead of its time in its underlying social commentary. The King and I becomes very timely once again with the current immigration issues and the clash of cultures—in this case, East meets West. The culture clash is mirrored in the proper governess and her attempts to transform the thinking of the sexist, traditional king.
In the highly capable hands and vocals of Angela Baumgartner (Anna) and Pedro Ka’awaloa (the King of Siam), The King and I fully capitalizes on the talents of this duo, highlighting an increasingly intimate friendship and how two worlds collaborate rather than collide.
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A crowning achievement of this touring production is the second-act ballet, “The Small House of Uncle Thomas,” (based on Harriet Beecher Stowe’s Uncle Tom’s Cabin), which mirrors the actions of the king regarding slavery and submission within his own palace. Beautifully danced in stunning costumes, we are reminded once again of the sacrifices made—and the prices paid—for freedom. The King and I poignantly captures that spirit and sets it free, aloft on the wings of those wonderfully memorable songs.
