The King and I

With so many students doing music theatre courses, it was a pleasant surprise to find classical singers in most of the major roles for this production of The King and I. Unfortunately the sound guys couldn’t cope, there was quite a bit of distortion and the voices were often too loud, even though they were holding back.

It was a delight to see Megan Coe return to the stage after an absence. This role lies low for a soprano, but there was no break in her voice and she sang beautifully. The starchy Englishwoman she portrayed didn’t allow her to get as angry as others I’ve seen, but her pathos at the end was heartfelt. Ju-Han Soon was strong as the King and the two worked well together.

Janneke Ferwerda was a touching Tuptim, and she sang well, though the microphone didn’t do her any favours. As her lover Lun Tha, Raphael Wong’s glorious baritone was the vocal highlight of the night, though having such a rich voice made him sound older than he should in this role.

Young Josephine Grech did a very creditable job of Lady Thiang, playing with authority a woman much older than herself. “Something Wonderful” sat low for her soprano, but she managed it well. George Missailidis and Luc Bogemann shone as the young Prince and Anna’s son, Louis.

“The Small House of Uncle Thomas” was very impressive and one of the best I’ve seen. The choreography represented traditional Siamese dance, and was well handled, especially by the graceful Eliza.

Babirra Music Theatre have put on some of the best shows in recent history, but The King and I didn’t quite meet their lofty standards. For this oriental musical one usually expects spectacular sets, but this did not happen.

However, there was much to admire and the audience came away satisfied.

Graham Ford