Review: THE KING AND I at Straz Center For The Performing Arts

When the King of Siam (Jose Llana) sends for a governess to mentor his royal children, you would expect her arrival to be in grand fashion. And it was. At the Straz Center for the Performing Arts in Tampa, when the curtain parts, the striking opening scene for The King and I unveils a boat anchoring dockside amidst a colorful sunset in Bangkok. As Anna Leonowens (Laura Michelle Kelly), a Welsh widow and her handsome son Louis (Graham Montgomery), prepare to disembark, Louis expresses some trepidation about the new life they are about to start in an unfamiliar land. His mother answers him with, I Whisle a Happy Tune, setting the tone for this delightful musical and gifting the audience with the angelic vocal talents of Miss Kelly.

We are treated to a beautiful rendition of Hello Young Lovers and the adorable March of the Siamese Children when Anna is introduced to the royal family. This establishes the King's virility and his family's respect and somewhat fear of his nobility. Although proud of his lineage, the King shows his vulnerable side singing A Puzzlement, a song that questions how the world became so complicated. The first day of school serves up one of the most beloved songs from this musical in the classroom setting of Getting to Know You.

Adding to some of the palace drama, the King receives a slave girl named Tuptim (Manna Nichols), as a gift from the king of Burma. Although the King is her master she declares her heart belongs to someone else when she meets a handsome scholar Lun Tha (Kavin Panmeechao), and the two fall secretly in love.

As the British are about to take over Siam, the King's head wife, Lady Thiang (Joan Almedilla) explains to Anna that the King is unsettled by Westerner's accusations that he is a barbarian. Anna suggests inorder to change their minds the King should greet the diplomats with European flair. She also insists his wives dress in Western fashion and Tuptim's play, Small House of Uncle Thomas, based on the book Anna loaned to her, Uncle Tom's Cabin, will be presented to the guests. The King agrees and collects his family for a Buddhist prayer seeking the success of the evening's entertainment and promises Anna that she will receive her own home. Although the play is s success with guests, the anti-slavery message is rebellious to the King. Anna once again has to calm him down and explain the decorum of courtship. This opens the stage to the sweeping, Shall We Dance number where Anna teaches the King how to dance. This was beautifully staged and brought a round of applause from the appreciative audience.

Whether you have seen the films or theatrical versions of this story, its always fun to watch the battle that ensues between the two polar opposite leads, spirited Anna and the dominant yet boyish King, masterfully portrayed with humor by Mr. Llana. One bone of contention that arises throughout the program between Anna and the King is her living quarters within the gated palace walls. Asked for and promised by the King, she was to have her own house nearby for her and her son to dwell during her tutelage. Anna reminds the King of this every chance she gets. Most memorable is Anna explaining what etcetera means and when the King picks up on its usage, we hear it frequently throughout the program and chuckle every time.

The large cast of supporting players and talented children add depth and vitality to this show. It is another grand Rodgers and Hammerstein gem that is a beautiful piece of work boasting some of the most memorable songs on Broadway.

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