The King and I
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Cititour.com Review
The ship has come in for lovers of classic musicals this season, from the effervescent warblings of the sailors in Leonard Bernstein, Betty Comden and Adolph Green’s “On the Town” to the sparkling Parisian-flavored tunes of Lerner & Loewe in the modernized “revisal” of “Gigi” to the rhapsodic Gershwin melodies found in Christopher Wheeldon’s ultra-romantic and beautifully balletic “An American in Paris.”
But now, with Bartlett Sher’s suitably sumptuous revival of “The King and I” at Lincoln Center’s Vivian Beaumont Theatre, that ship has come in both figuratively, in the form of the brilliant score of Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein, and literally, as Michael Yeargan’s giant boat quickly overtakes that vast stage, bringing to the shores of 19th-century Siam widowed British schoolteacher Anna Leowens (Kelli O’Hara) and her young son Louis (a winning Jake Lucas).
Anna has her work cut out of her -- and not just in teaching a new language to the many children and wives of the King of Siam. No, it’s his royal highness (Japanese film star Ken Watanabe) who proves to be Anna’s biggest challenge as she struggles to help him both modernize his country and his thinking, turning him from “barbarian” to “gentleman.”
Their sparring match is at the true heart of any production of this show, and it’s a little bit of a rocky fight for a while. O’Hara originally overdoes Anna’s English starchiness – it seems as if she thinks she’s playing Mary Poppins – and her songs, lovely as they can be, don’t really allow her coloratura soprano to soar. As for Watanabe, with his less-than-perfect English diction (particularly problematic during “A Puzzlement”), modest physique, and somewhat comical manner, it can take a little getting to know him to love him.
But somewhere in the second act, as their characters’ hearts begin to melt for each other – and so do ours -- these performers simply sail into the theatrical stratosphere. Watanabe’s superbly singular take on the role makes complete sense, while O’Hara finally lightens up a little, allowing both her voice and acting to fully flower. If you’re not sniffling a little at the final curtain, you may need a heart transplant yourself!
That second act also contains choreographer Christopher Gattelli’s stunning version of the mini-ballet “The Small House of Uncle Thomas” (originally created by Jerome Robbins), just one of many instances where Yeargan’s carefully conceived set design, Catherine Zuber’s magnificent costumes, Donald Holder’s gorgeous lighting, the precision of this vast ensemble, and the lush sound of a 29-piece orchestra (led by Ted Sperling) come together to create true magic.
Two other performers manage to create magic on their own. The sterling-voiced soprano Ashley Park is a properly fiery Tuptim (although she cannot really generate sparks with a surprisingly wan Conrad Ricamora as her beloved Lun Tha). Even better, the stunning Ruthie Anne Miles is consistently magnetic as main wife Lady Thiang, bringing glorious gravitas to “Something Wonderful” and sly humor to “Funny Western People” (which has been restored here as the Act II opener).
Whether or not this is the best Broadway production of “The King and I” ever to grace the Great White Way (and there have been many) is up for debate. But there’s little doubt audiences who relish this kind of grand musical theater will give this outing a royal welcome.
By Brian Scott Lipton
Visit the Site
http://www.lct.org/shows/king-and-i
Cast
Kelli O’Hara, Ken Watanabe, Ruthie Ann Miles, Ashley Park, Conrad Ricamora Edward Baker-Duly, Jon Viktor Corpuz, Murphy Guyer, Jake Lucas, Paul Nakauchi, Marc Oka
Open/Close Dates
Opening 4/16/2015
Closing 6/26/2016
Preview Open/ Preview Close Dates
Preview Opening 3/12/2015
Closing Open-ended
Box Office
212-239-6200
Theatre Info
Vivian Beaumont Theater
150 West 65th Street
New York, NY 10023
Map
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