The King And I is poised for the Palladium
GET ready to whistle a happy tune, because the celebrated Broadway production of Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein’s The King And I with Kelli O’Hara and Ken Watanabe has its eye on the London Palladium for a limited season next year.
There was chatter that the show, directed by Bartlett Sher at the Lincoln Centre in New York, would head this way last year; or maybe this.
But various things got in the way — the availability of the Theatre Royal Drury Lane, for one. And I happen to know that Sher wanted both Ms O’Hara (who won a Tony for her layered exploration of Anna Leonowens, real-life governess to the royal Siamese children) and Watanabe (the film actor best known for Letters From Iwo Jima and Inception) to do the polka in London.
The impresario Howard Panter is, according to informed rumour, hoping for a 15-week run at the Palladium from mid-June 2018 for the classic show, which features great songs such as Getting To Know You, Shall We Dance and Hello Young Lovers.
Last time I wrote here about Ms O’Hara, who would be making her West End debut (as would Watanabe), there were some sniffy retorts that she wasn’t that ‘special’. Well, I disagree.
My sense is that O’Hara (who I’ve caught in several shows) has a lightness of touch, coupled with that rare ability to convey a lot with a little . . . just a smile or a frown . . . that is special indeed. And she can sing!
Sher’s going to have a busy time in London town, what with the sublime J.T. Rogers’ play Oslo (up for several Tony Awards on Sunday, including best play) bound for the National Theatre and the Harold Pinter in the autumn; followed by The King And I this time next year.