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The King And I at New Theatre Oxford

Why see The King And I?

Shall we dance?

A Far-Eastern romance beckons between a hard-hearted king and a widowed English governess

Following a triumphant and award-winning runs on Broadway and on the West End, this Tony-winning revival is touring the UK! Don't miss your chance to see this stunning production of the Rodgers and Hammerstein classic live on stage near you!

What is it about?

Anna Leonowens is a widowed English teacher, who is charged with teaching the King of Siam's (now Thailand) hundred-strong royal offspring. Upon arrival in the country, Anna and her son Louis find the culture overwhelmingly different from their own, and the King himself to be a severe and strict employer. Though their relationship is initially marked by conflict and tension, eventually a bond begins to grow between the King and Anna that blossoms into a mutual respect and later attraction; however, can they both overcome their clash of cultures and propriety for the sake of love?

Getting to know The King and I - A brief history

When The King and I originally opened in March 1951, Rodgers and Hammerstein both had serious doubts. Originally joking that audiences were only coming to see if it was better than their previous hit South Pacific, the immediate response allayed their fears. The King and I went on to become an overnight hit, and has played to audiences from Broadway to Bangkok, while its film adaptation, famous for Yul Brenner's commanding performance opposite Deborah Kerr in her voluminous ball-gowns, won five Academy Awards.

Key Information

Audience

Suitable for ages 10 years and older

Run Time

Two hours 55 minutes including an interval

Dates

Finished 7 Oct 2023

Cast

Helen George as Anna 
Darren Lee as King of Siam 
Dean John-Wilson as Lun Tha
Marienella Phillips as Tuptim 
Cezarah Bonner as Lady Thiang
Kok-Hwa Lie as Kralahome
Caleb Lagayan as Prince Chulalongkorn 
Sam Jenkins-Shaw as Captian Orton/Sir Edward Ramsay
Maria Coyne as alternate Anna

Chi Chan, Jeffery Chekai, Emily Grace-Ling, Cher Nicolette Ho, Rachel Wang-Hei Lau, Daniel Len, Candy Ma, Rachel MacDougall, Amelia Kinu Muus, Yuki Ozeki, Kitt Pakapom, Prem Rai, Ria Tanaka, Hiromi Toyooka, Jamine Triadi, Jensen Tudtud, Qinwen Xue and Jason Yang-Westland

Creative

Directed by Bartlett Sher
Music by Richard Rodgers
Book and Lyrics by Oscar Hammersetin II

Reviews

Customer reviews

33 reviews, average rating: (4.5 Stars)

Julie

I loved it

Just left theatre, and I have to say I just loved it, great performance, fabulous cast, brilliantly entertaining. Thank you so much ... Read more

Juliette Long

Absolutely amazing

We just saw the King and I at Oxford New Theatre and I can’t stop smiling! The cast were incredible, both in acting and singing. We are massive fans of the film and it was exactly the same which is such a refreshing change. Honestly one of the best stage shows we have ever seen and we have seen a few. I would see it again no problem at all. Well done to all the cast. Anna and The King, just wow. Everyone, you were fabulous, thank you so much. I didn’t buy a program regrettably so I don’t know the cast members real names but we saw it on 4/10/23. Amazing show which made me laugh and cry. Congratulations to all involved. If you can, go and see it. ... Read more

Mermi

Wonderful music and performances

I loved Darren Lees performance but all of the cast were fantastic. Helen George is extremely talented . Cezarah Bonner, although so petite, had immense command of the stage as queen Thiang. The orchestra was fantastic and their music combined with the precision of the dancers during "run eliza" was spine chilling. I am privileged to have seen this. ... Read more

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