The King and I at Leeds Arts Council

East versus West makes for a dramatic, richly textured and ultimately uplifting tale of enormous fascination. It is 1862 in Siam when an English widow, Anna Leonowens, and her young son arrive at the Royal Palace in Bangkok, having been summoned by the King to serve as tutor to his many children and wives. The King is largely considered to be a barbarian by those in the West, and he seeks Anna's assistance in changing his image, if not his ways. With both keeping a firm grip on their respective traditions and values, Anna and the King grow to understand and, eventually, respect one another, in a truly unique love story. Along with the dazzling score, the incomparable Jerome Robbins ballet, 'The Small House of Uncle Thomas,' is one of the all-time marvels of the musical stage.

Music by Rodgers, Richard; Book by Oscar Hammerstein II; Lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II; Based on Anna and the King by Margaret Landon; Original Choreography by Jerome Robbins

Authors

• Margaret Landon
• Oscar Hammerstein II
• Richard Rodgers

Tony Awards and Nominations for The King and I