The King and I previews thread - Page 10

[NoName3]

Posted: 3/15/15 at 5:52am

Rodgers and Hammerstein tried very hard to persuade Alfred Drake to take the part of the King but he turned them down. You have to assume the King's music would be somewhat different, and there would be more of it, if he had played the part.

[HorseTears]

Posted: 3/15/15 at 6:34am

That Times article actually made me want to see this revival.

Agreed!

[PalJoey]

Posted: 3/15/15 at 8:37am

A friend of both Reginald Tresilian's and mine saw it last night, and he is generally very critical, perhaps hypercritical, of everything he sees and hears and reads, and he sees and hears and reads everything.

Here are his words about the King and I revival:

It's Su. Perb.

[Up In One]

Posted: 3/15/15 at 8:52am

For all the anticipation registered on this board there have been less posts by people who actually saw it in the first few performances than any show this season. The rest of the conversations in this thread are as boring for me as the thought of buying a ticket. I was hoping for you guys to to get me off the fence on this one. But having been dragged to a Yul Brynner revival and TDF ing for Donna Murphy I can't bring myself to waste a night on something that no one on this boards is over the moon about yet. Maybe because it's a subscription house tickets can't be had and postings here are going to dribble in.

[Huss417]

Posted: 3/15/15 at 9:46am

Up In One

So you didn't like the You Brenner version of the Donna Murphy one but you are waiting for someone here to make you go over the moon about it and basing seeing it on their recommendation?

I would fathom you probably wouldn't like this version either.

[bwayphreak234]

Posted: 3/15/15 at 10:13am

I was at the show last night. I have been looking forward to this revival since the speculation started a few years ago about Lincoln Center possibly remounting The King and I. This production is simply marvelous.

First things first - the cast. Ken Watanabe as the King, as others have mentioned, is VERY difficult to understand. His diction is just plain awful. I'm not sure if they are going to be able to fix this, but I REALLY hope they do as this was my only problem with the production. Kelli O'Hara is simply delightful and ravishing as Anna. There is no question that this a role she was born to play. From the moment she enters on the boat, she takes command of that stage and does not let it go until the final curtain. She is delivering truly remarkable and must- see performance. The entire supporting cast is wonderful. Ruthie Ann Mills should definitely be nominated for a Tony for featured actress.

There is nothing over the top here design wise. The design is simple, but elegant. The palace set consists of columns that slide around and drop in. A massive gray wall makes up the back of the stage and it stationary for the entire show for the most part. Smaller set pieces are carried on by stagehands and cast members. The expansive stage added so much depth to the design and really captured the vastness of the palace, even though it seemed a little sparse at times.

The show itself ran three hours and ten minutes, so they definitely still have some trimming to do. However, for the third preview of a huge show like this that did not open out of town, this is in really great shape. I would love to come back after opening and see it again as I can only imagine that this will just get better and better throughout the preview process. All in all, this is a very solid production of a beautiful classic.

Updated On: 4/16/15 at 10:13 AM

[best12bars]

Posted: 3/15/15 at 10:21am

I hope they're hiring the best speech coach(es) around right now to help Ken with this.

[macnyc]

Posted: 3/15/15 at 10:35am

The article says that he has been working with someone via Skype.

[best12bars]

Posted: 3/15/15 at 10:50am

Well that explains not being able to understand him.

[ljay889]

Posted: 3/15/15 at 11:03am

Is the Overture really truncated in this production? Is that confirmed? I saw one report so far that it may have been.

Yes, it was also discussed on ATC. In addition to some cuts, the Overture now includes "Shall We Dance."

[dramamama611]

Posted: 3/15/15 at 11:09am

Gee, now that I know Up In One's decision, I can sleep better at night. Whew, what a relief.

I didn't know it was this board's purpose to change your mind. About anything.

[humbugfoto]

Posted: 3/15/15 at 11:24am

I have to assume that they've been working on Watanabe's diction since the first day of rehearsals. If this is how far he's come in six weeks, I shudder to think what he sounded like on day one. And how much longer will it take to get him to a point where he IS understandable.

Seeing it Wednesday.

[best12bars]

Posted: 3/15/15 at 11:28am

How can you give someone "virtual" diction lessons?

Half of diction (probably more than half) is LISTENING, not speaking. You have to be able to clearly hear the differences in the sounds. It's also very physical: training the tongue, the diaphragm, etc.


Just ask Phoebe Dinsmore.

[best12bars]

Posted: 3/15/15 at 11:34am

Maybe he'll pull a "Sally." Hope so.

[TorontoBroadwayFan]

Posted: 3/15/15 at 1:32pm

Thanks to everyone for posting their experiences. I'm seeing this production on my trip to NYC next month and couldn't be more excited for it. Please keep those opinions coming.

I got linctix for the show and am sitting in the front row Orchestra, far right, so if anyone has the same seats and has thoughts on how they are, I would appreciate the input on that as well. For example, how do these seats affect the big boat scene?

Cheers all!

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 3/15/15 at 1:36pm

On reflection, the Times article has the same odd tone as the one they published about Katie Finneran's learning disability before the Annie revival opened.

[bstoll1]

Posted: 3/15/15 at 2:09pm

I was there last night. I had a LincTix and sat on the first row, side of the stage. (I would post a picture if I knew how to do that). I personally felt that the seating was too close and it was challenging to get emerged in the theatrics of it all. I enjoyed the show though, especially Kelli's singing. As mentioned, it was hard to understand many of the thick accents.

[SmokeyLady]

Posted: 3/15/15 at 2:14pm

Thank you so much for posting the Yul Brynner links. I also used to love his curtain call. But the performance you linked seems to be from the latter part of his run when he was already sick and slower.

[Younger Brother]

Posted: 3/15/15 at 2:17pm

Can someone please PM me about the boat? I didn't care about it but it's been hyped up so much

[ljay889]

Posted: 3/15/15 at 2:20pm

AfterEight posted it with a spoiler warning a couple pages back. It's hard to understand how exciting is through writing.

[Ed_Mottershead]

Posted: 3/15/15 at 2:29pm

I haven't seen the production yet, but for the unanimous carping about Ken's diction. I suggest that the powers that be make the decision to have him replaced with someone who can cope better with the language aspect of the role. I know it's a difficult decision, but so much of the show hangs on the verbal interplay between Anna and the King, audiences are going to be focusing on how poor the diction, how they couldn't understand him and runs the danger of his being booed at the curtain call. They've still got a month the fix the problem, if not fix him.

[Musical Master]

Posted: 3/15/15 at 5:04pm

I think Ken's diction problems only lie for the fact that he rehearsed in a small room for a long while, then when he is playing to a large audience, the tension can affect a performer. I think we should be more optimistic about this situation and I'll give Ken some slack because this is indeed his Broadway debut.

[buddy 11432]

Posted: 3/15/15 at 5:26pm

I saw the first preview. Many things to like, especially the staging in the first scenes. I was less bothered by Watanabe's diction than others. Kelli O'Hara has time to grow into the role; it's not as natural a fit (to me anyway) as South Pacific and The Light in the Piazza.

The length of the performance bothered me a lot. I undertand it is natural for a first preview. But, it reminded me that there are some weak spots in the story.
When the ballet (The Small House for Uncle Thomas) starts at 10:55, one begins to wonder why it's in the story at all.

Bottome Line: Wait to see this production of "The King and I."

[OlBlueEyes]

Posted: 3/15/15 at 5:35pm

If Watanabe has only signed to play the role for four months, then they must already have a good idea of whom his replacement will be. It would be messy, and embarrassing to quite a few, but you just can't put on a production of this show, either the first major on Broadway in 20 years or one at your local high school, where nobody can understand the co-star.

[followspot]

Posted: 3/15/15 at 6:05pm

I think Ken's diction problems only lie for the fact that he rehearsed in a small room for a long while, then when he is playing to a large audience, the tension can affect a performer. I think we should be more optimistic about this situation and I'll give Ken some slack because this is indeed his Broadway debut.

^This. Thank you.

So much armchair hysteria over reports of a first-time Broadway performer's imperfect first preview in a role not in his native language. Yes, it's possible that even Ken Watanabe gets nervous. Sounds like this production has several issues that need addressing, and I have complete faith that Barlett Sher is capable of addressing them.