Posted: 5/16/15 at 8:32pm
Is that really all of it? The SOUTH PACIFIC 2008 recording put in much more than THE KING AND I did. So why isn't the same bit of love here? Don't get me wrong, I'm grateful that the "A Puzzlement reprise" and "Western People Funny" is on it but there could have been a few more tracks.
Posted: 5/16/15 at 11:59pm
Just got back from tonight's show and have a few observations to share.
it is a truly wonderful production of this show. The theater is perfect for this large of a show and since it was my first visit there, I was very pleased with the view from the loge and the comfort of the seats.
All I can say is that Kelli is a goddess. To say she was perfect is not doing her justice. I have grown to totally appreciate her unmatched talent, her acting and voice just mesmerizing. All supporting cast members were spot on and the kids were adorable.
i have two issues that I feel kept this show from being truly magnificent. One was that I feel it is overproduced in some numbers, specifically The Small House of Uncle Thomas. It was way too long and it held back the pacing of the show. Secondly and most glaring is Ken Wantanbe. What could have been such a charming and powerful performance was held back by his thick accent. I thought previous posters were exaggerating but if anything, I realize they were being kind. I have a great ear for accents growing up in a family of heavy accents. I just couldn't understand two thirds of what he said.
I loved the show and the performances very much and it is well worth seeing. I hope the Tony voters will finally recognize the wonderful Ms. O'Hara for her magnificent performance on June 7.
i saw AAIP last night and this show tonight and I can't imagine two better productions, what a wonderful weekend!!
Posted: 5/17/15 at 12:28am
I was there tonight too and agree with your comments. Kelli's Anna was sublime.
Posted: 5/17/15 at 12:51am
What did you think about Michael Yeargan's set design and the boat at the beginning?
Posted: 5/17/15 at 9:57am
The sets were top notch and really added to the storyline. I'm not sure I've seen a better opening set than in this show. I was actually stunned, just brilliant!
Posted: 5/17/15 at 10:42am
"What did you think about Michael Yeargan's set design and the boat at the beginning?"
The set is beautiful! The stage is massive and is pretty wide and deep which creates a ton of depth. The design is simple, but elegant. The boat at the beginning was one of the coolest things I have ever seen on a Broadway stage.
Posted: 5/17/15 at 11:30am
That's nice to hear about the boat getting across the board raves. I think Michael Yeargan's set design for THE KING AND I is my favorite that blows the other over-the-top lush designs of the past out of the water.
Remember how overdone and ridiculous the sets were in the 1996 revival? That looked like a Busch Gardens Williamsburg show, and not in a good way.
Posted: 5/17/15 at 11:52am
Have seen THE KING AND I several times on stage, and thought this production was just okay. I love Kelli, and thought she should have won the Tony last year for BRIDGES, did not feel the same sense of passion or commitment here. Of course, she sang beautifully, but her "English" accent was a joke, in and out all night. In the last revival, Lou Diamond Phillips finally broke the "Yul Brynner" mold and gave us a whole new take on the King. Watanabe was back on the same old track, and not nearly as funny or touching as Brynner was (watch the film, people; it doesn't get better than Deborah Kerr and Brynner).
For those who have never seen the show or the film, it might be worth a look. But if you've seen it before, then you've seen it.
Posted: 5/17/15 at 12:28pm
Can't imagine anyone seeing this think that Kelli played the role with no passion. We obviously have a different definition of passion because the performance I saw last night, including the accent, was so moving that I was practically paralyzed in my seat. Every time Kelli sang or spoke, there wasn't a cough, candy wrapper or fidget in the audience. It may have been the single most memorable performance I have seen in theater and I've seen the likes of Verdon, Rivera, LuPone, MacDonald and Murphy. For me it was beyond perfection.
Posted: 5/17/15 at 10:10pm
For those who've looked up the track listing on Amazon for the new cast recording, I don't think the real one has come yet. The SOUTH PACIFIC 2008 recording is from the same company (Decca Broadway) and has added small reprises and such. If it is the real deal then I'm disappointed, if it isn't then we'll wait and see.
Posted: 5/18/15 at 12:10am
We live in England and thought Kelli's English accent was actually fantastic, to whoever above said it was a joke. It was lovely.
And that opening with the boat. Everyone gasped, I gasped. It was spectacular!
Posted: 5/18/15 at 12:21am
Regarding the set, it was gorgeous. It was simple, but effective. The boat is a stunner. And I loved how the wings were done in mirrors so it felt like the palace extended far beyond the theatre - I guess this is something only appreciated on the sides, which adds to the detail. The back wall, for most of ACT 1, was beautiful, and I loved the sequence where they lifted it and the scene that follows. Beautiful staged.
Regarding O'Hara, I'm a HUGE fan, as I've stated. To me she is perfection, but this just didn't feel like THE PART the way that like Gypsy for Lupone felt.
Posted: 5/18/15 at 1:23am
The track list is probably the real deal, Musical Master. "Small House of Uncle Thomas," if recorded in its entirety, should be somewhere around 15 minutes long. That doesn't leave much room on one disc for the shorter reprises. That doesn't mean that there won't be a Barnes & Noble release with extra music like they did with South Pacific or possibly iTunes bonus tracks but the track list on Amazon looks pretty consistent with what would likely fit onto a single disc.
Posted: 5/18/15 at 1:36am
"The track list is probably the real deal, Musical Master. "Small House of Uncle Thomas," if recorded in its entirety, should be somewhere around 15 minutes long. That doesn't leave much room on one disc for the shorter reprises. That doesn't mean that there won't be a Barnes & Noble release with extra music like they did with South Pacific or possibly iTunes bonus tracks but the track list on Amazon looks pretty consistent with what would likely fit onto a single disc."
That's true, one disc could only carry so much but like SOUTH PACIFIC maybe the Barnes and Noble version will have the reprises and such (ITunes if we're lucky).
Posted: 5/18/15 at 3:36am
"Remember how overdone and ridiculous the sets were in the 1996 revival? That looked like a Busch Gardens Williamsburg show, and not in a good way."
I thought Brian Thompson's Tony-winning red lacquer and elephant design was gorgeous and evocative. Yeargan's design is also wonderful, just proving that there's more than one way to look at a classic musical.
Posted: 5/18/15 at 12:15pm
Well I guess Amazon was right after all, it is the official track list. I hope the Barnes and Noble version does what SOUTH PACIFIC did.
Posted: 5/21/15 at 12:31am
I finally revisited the production today after seeing the first preview. Overall, the production is obviously much smoother and tighter, and clocks in right under 3 hours. Watanabe's diction has improved a lot. Some lines still get lost, but his singing is MUCH better now.
Kelli's performance is even lovelier. She sounds absolutely glorious, and delivers a nuanced and honest performance. Unfortunately the role is not very flashy, which may ultimately hurt her Tony chances.
Supporting cast is uniformly excellent, and I enjoyed the ballet more this time. I am still bummed how they tore apart and rearranged the Overture.
Also, Kelli and Ken have really sexed up Shall We Dance even more, which had the audience gasping.
Absolutely wonderful production.
Updated On: 5/21/15 at 12:31 AM
Posted: 5/24/15 at 12:02am
Just got back from seeing this. I think I would go on record to say it was the best Broadway production I've seen since my all-time favorite, 'South Pacific.' There's just something so magical (had to resist saying "wonderful") about the Vivian Beaumont Theater.
I thought Ken Watanabe was a great king. It was a little tough to understand him during 'A Puzzlement,' but he is one incredible actor. Every look, every move he made was perfect. I felt like I was in the presence of a king.
Kelli O'Hara... Sigh. She really is an incredible talent. Her renditions of all the songs were gorgeous, and I thought she really brought her A game, acting wise, in the second act. If she somehow manages to beat Chenoweth, it would be extremely deserved.
Everyone should see this show. It's a classic brought back to life in a gorgeous way. I wish I had enough money to see it again!!
Between this and seeing Queen JCM in 'Hedwig,' it's been quite the year at the theater for Skimble. :)
Posted: 5/24/15 at 12:17am
Updated On: 5/24/15 at 12:17 AM
Posted: 5/24/15 at 12:21am
No Hello Young Lovers reprise is honestly unforgivable....
Posted: 5/24/15 at 12:30am
I would have welcomed that or the act one finale over "March of the Siamese Children." But if it's really only 61 minutes there would have been plenty of room for both. I don't get it. It's disappointing.
Posted: 5/24/15 at 12:35am
I agree. Why in gods name include The Royal Bangkok Academy over the act 1 finale and Lovers reprise??
Posted: 5/24/15 at 12:44am
Posted: 5/24/15 at 1:03am
Yup, I thought the same thing. Wish this production would have left the Overture alone.
Posted: 5/24/15 at 3:16am
"Just got back from tonight's show and have a few observations to share.
it is a truly wonderful production of this show. The theater is perfect for this large of a show and since it was my first visit there, I was very pleased with the view from the loge and the comfort of the seats.
All I can say is that Kelli is a goddess. To say she was perfect is not doing her justice. I have grown to totally appreciate her unmatched talent, her acting and voice just mesmerizing. All supporting cast members were spot on and the kids were adorable.
i have two issues that I feel kept this show from being truly magnificent. One was that I feel it is overproduced in some numbers, specifically The Small House of Uncle Thomas. It was way too long and it held back the pacing of the show. Secondly and most glaring is Ken Wantanbe. What could have been such a charming and powerful performance was held back by his thick accent. I thought previous posters were exaggerating but if anything, I realize they were being kind. I have a great ear for accents growing up in a family of heavy accents. I just couldn't understand two thirds of what he said.
I loved the show and the performances very much and it is well worth seeing. I hope the Tony voters will finally recognize the wonderful Ms. O'Hara for her magnificent performance on June 7.
i saw AAIP last night and this show tonight and I can't imagine two better productions, what a wonderful weekend!!"
I agree with most of your statements: It was a bit overproduced and some numbers were way too long, actually the show should have been much shorter in general...it dragged a lot and also I didn't care for Ken Wantanbe and had difficulty understanding some of his lines.
This is Kelli's year and she is the absolute best actress in a musical this season. A true goddess. With that said, even though I feel like the production was outstanding, the show was way too long and I was bored at times...and I was much more entertained and engaged by other revivals this season and I'm hoping that On The Town wins the Tony and I wish Gigi had been nominated because it is my favorite show of the season. The King and I although not a perfect show, was nevertheless much superior to On The 20th Century.
