Review - The King and I

I've wanted to see the current revival of The King and I ever since it was announced, but it has been a hot ticket all along.  I have a hard time digging up full price for shows, even if I am a huge fan of Kelli O'Hara and I've enjoyed Bartlett Sher's direction in the past.  I'm a bit sorry I missed seeing Ken Watanabe, but when a TDF ticket popped up for last night, I knew Hoon Lee would be an amazing King!  I've seen him in several shows over the years and have always enjoyed his work.  I'm so glad he's getting such a high-profile chance to show his stuff.  Oh, and so as to not bury the lede, I LOVED the show.  LOVED.

I've seen many productions of The King and I over the years and I almost always enjoy it.  The songs are beautiful and the story is always moving, especially at the end.  I saw the last revival at least three times - I saw Donna Murphy, Faith Prince and (yes) Marie Osmond as Anna.  Marie wasn't bad!  Anyway, last night, I got quite teary throughout the show, at places I'd never really gotten teary before.  I think I just get more emotional as I get older.  Things of beauty or ephemeral perfection make me well up.  They just do.  As I told my nephew over the holidays, I'm a crier.  Deal with it.  :)

I will admit, however, that I was worried at the start of the evening.  First off, I was a bit miffed about the overture.  I'm no music history expert, but I'm thinking that overture was cut and paste within an inch of its life and it didn't seem to flow as well as the overtures that are in my brain.  Maybe those are different and last night's was the right one?  I don't really know, to be honest.  I guess I could do some Googling to find out.  But I was unhappy with it.  I loved the opening effect with the ship (and one of my very favorite actors, Rocco Sisto, was playing Captain Orton!  It's not a big part, but he brought his wonderfulness to his brief time on stage.  More on him later), but as the ship was sailing in, the ushers let in the latecomers, who all seemed to be in my section, so I really lost the thread of the opening of the show.  That annoyed me as well.  Anna's son Louis' mic didn't seem to be working, either.  Grrr.  But, slowly but surely, Kelli O'Hara pulled me in, from her very first moment.  And I thought the staging and the physical production was gorgeous, right from the beginning.  Well, to be honest, from my seat in the loge, extreme house left, I couldn't see anyone when they went upstage past the stage façade, but thankfully, they didn't do that too often.  I didn't get to see the King's throne at all; he only sat there a brief moment, but I do wish I could've seen him. 

Where did I get teary?  Lots of places.  First, during the March of the Siamese Children - the orchestra sounded glorious, the set and costumes were perfect, the children were adorable and Hoon Lee as the King was so touching; proud and affectionate with all his children, yet still regal and commanding.  I believe I had an audible sob when the tiniest adorable child yelled "I believe in snow!", and the whole ending just wiped me out.  I don't remember the show being such a sobfest before, but...there you have it.

photo credit:  Paul Kolnik

I think my tears can be traced to how real and full the performances were.  I was so caught up in everything and felt things even more deeply because of how wonderful the characterizations were.  I marvel at Kelli O'Hara, I really do.  Every time I see her on stage, she has created such a complete and authentic person who I utterly engage with.  And her singing - magnificent.  Not only the sound, but the acting and the intention throughout the songs.  It's often like hearing songs anew.  She found so many new things, as did most of the actors.  Ruthie Ann Miles was fantastic as Lady Thiang and her "Something Wonderful" was just revelatory for me.  Paul Nakauchi was simply terrific as Kralahome.  From his very first entrance, you could see a person who was always thinking, always considering.  There was a moment of shocked respect on his face when he was first sparring with Anna that was so jarring and real, I was taken aback.

Jon Viktor Corpuz just broke my heart as Prince Chulalongkorn.  Seriously.  I don't think I've ever been so affected by that character before.  He can't be that old, but the wisdom of his acting...wonderful.  You could see everything - the overly-proud young man who thought he had nothing to learn, the inquisitive child, the dutiful son and tentative leader.  His arc is beautifully played and in the last scene: exquisite.  Really.

photo credit:  Paul Kolnik

I've saved my favorite for last.  I thought Hoon Lee as the King was magnificent.  So regal and imperious.  So sexy and funny.  And confused.  And warm.  And scared.  Wow.  Everything I wanted.  Plus, he sang beautifully.  Again, I saw things I have never seen before.  I guess I've never noticed how quickly the "Shall We Dance" happiness and the Tuptim awfulness come together.  Anna and the King have had this connection during the dance and he comes to her for the reprise, when suddenly they're torn apart by what he thinks he must do as King, but what he no longer CAN do.  I was just destroyed by the crumpling of his character, how affected he was by Anna's 'you ARE a barbarian' line!  I believe I may have gasped at the rawness of the pain from both of them.  That whole scene was staged so wonderfully well.  Their connection and relationship was built so gradually, that you could see why they came to a meeting of the minds.  They complemented each other so well.  Oh, it was just great.  Everything was great.

photo credit: Paul Kolnik

Before I forget, I just want to mention:  "The Small House of Uncle Thomas" is one of my favorite scenes ever and it was again so gorgeous.  And the ebbs and flows of it, echoing the ebbs and flows of what is happening behind the scenes, was grand.  I was just struck anew by how beautifully The King and I is constructed.  No wasted space, with a powerful message always present on top of, and underneath, whatever the current action is.  Really.  This is a first-rate revival.  I was a bit worried I would be disappointed because I have looked forward to seeing this show for so long, but my expectations were completely surpassed.  I can only hope the show comes up on TDF again because I so want to go back.

A happy treat happened after the show:  I was waiting for the subway and when I looked up, I saw Rocco Sisto standing waiting for the train, too.  Normally, I would just let the moment pass, but I have been a fan of his for such a long time (we also worked at the same summer theater one summer, though he was in a show and I was working in the box office, so I'm not sure our paths ever crossed there) that I just had to say something.  So I approached him and told him how much I enjoyed his performance.  He was very gracious and just started chattering away about how much he was enjoying working with the company.  One topic led to another, then we kept chatting as we rode the train together.  It was a delightful half hour or so and I'm very grateful to a kind man for letting an aging fangirl have a moment with him.  It made a magical night even more magical.