"The King and I" Review


Courtesy of Andy (and Steve), here is the Davis Enterprise review (for readability, save and expand).

Some aspects of the review are....idiosyncratic, to say the least. Could it be Malibu Barbie and Aunt Barb ARE THE SAME PERSON??? Oooowwweeeooo!

And now....the text!

Getting to know this 'King'
By Bev Sykes, Enterprise drama critic
Published: June 28, 2005

No make-up designer is listed in the program for the Davis Musical Theater Company production of "The King and I," which opened Friday at the Varsity Theater.

It's unrealistic, I suppose, to expect a small community theater to find a cast of actors who look Siamese/Burmese, but a little make-up magic would have helped credibility.

The characters who suffer the most from the lack of authenticity are Tuptim (Chelsea Beatty), the Burmese gift to the King of Siam, who narrates her story of "Uncle Tom's Cabin" wearing traditional Siamese headgear ... which, I hate to say it, just made her look like Malibu Barbie on the way to a Halloween party.

Likewise, the King's first wife, Lady Thiang (Jennifer Bonomo), does a marvelously consistent job with her accent, which seems strange coming from a woman who looks like my aunt Barb.

That said, if one can get past the fact that most of the faces on stage look no more Siamese than director Steve Isaacson, the show's good bits quickly fall into place.

This story of Anna Leonowens, a feisty British widow who travels to Siam with her young son Louis, in order to teach the king's children is, at the outset, visually stunning. Juan Ramos, who also plays the King, has designed a beautiful set within the confines of DMTC's always meager budget.

When the curtains opened Friday evening to reveal the King's chambers, some gasps came from the audience, at the simple beauty on display.

Add Dannette Vassar's subtle, effective lighting, and Jean Henderson's beautiful costumes, and we're off to a good start.

Isaacson has assembled a top-notch cast for this popular show. Unfortunately, no bios were made available, so I'm not sure who is new to the cast; I failed to recognize quite a few names, though, so several may have made their DMTC debuts. If so, I hope they stick around.

DMTC veteran Marguerite Morris plays Anna, and she's wonderful. Her clear, steady, strong voice is a delight whenever she sings. Her acting, as well, is first rate (although her projection could use a bit more oomph in her dialogue scenes). It's difficult to fault her; she's a marvelous casting choice.

Ramos also is equal to the task. He's a commanding presence, despite his less than commanding stature. He has the bearing of a king and a strong voice to go along with it. There's palpable chemistry between the King and Anna during their dancing scene ("Shall We Dance"), when they realize that they have feelings for each other, which never will progress further.

Chelsea Beatty and Ryan Favorite, as Tuptim and her lover Lun Tha, are outstanding. Beatty has a voice to die for, and it remains as strong in her top notes as in her mid-range. (If only she looked the part.) Favorite is a tall, handsome Lun Tha; although less sure as an actor, he handles the part vocally. Their duets are beautiful.

Young Andrew Lampinen is a fine Louis, with a good stage presence and a convincing British accent. John Ramos — as the young Prince Chulalongkorn, who will inherit his father's title on the death of the King — is somewhat less comfortable, though basically he does a good job.

Unfortunately, the two boys' duet, a thankfully brief reprise of the king's "A Puzzlement," is painful. They may have been unable to find the right note to start, and were unable to recover.

Ryan Adame turns in a very strong performance as The Kralahome, the King's right-hand man. (Adame is also one of the few who does look the part.)

The King's children — LisaSoto, Michelle Brunader, Maya Rothman, Macey Almendariz, Paige Almendariz, Brittney Almendariz, Linnea Lampinen, Tanya Campos, Kazuo Koyama, Camila Ortiz and Brittany Aldrege — are all adorable and well drilled.

Michael Miiller's choreography is particularly skillful in the superb rendition of "The Little House of Uncle Thomas," danced beautifully by Katy Fast, Robert Coverdell, Marisa Casillas, Maria Ramirez, Tanya Campos and Marcy Gribin.

I'm certain a few are not already familiar with this Rodgers and Hammerstein story, and with the songs that have become so much a part of the American scene ("Getting to Know You," "Hello, Young Lovers," "Whistle a Happy Tune," and others.). This production, which closes out DMTC's 20th season — and, Isaacson assures me, is the last DMTC show to be staged at the Varsity Theater — has its flaws, but they're outweighed by its strong points. The production is well worth checking out.

Copyright, 2005, The Davis Enterprise. All Rights Reserved.