Kelli O'Hara in THE KING AND I streams for free on May 8th

[phantom39]

Posted: 5/1/20 at 3:27pm

Part of the R&H free streaming series, with BroadwayHD. Goes live worldwide on May 8th 8PM EST

http://filmedonstage.com/news/144-full-west-end-production-of-the-king-and-i-to-stream-for-free-this-month

[Fan123]

Posted: 5/1/20 at 5:30pm

That's good news. FYI, while the filmedonstage.com link refers to "worldwide streaming", the BWW article indicates that this will be available in North America only. Following the BroadwayHD link therein, bears this out.

https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/RH-Movie-Night-Returns-With-Lincoln-Center-Theaters-THE-KING-AND-I-Starring-Kelli-OHara-and-Ken-Watanabe-20200501

[ggersten]

Posted: 5/1/20 at 5:38pm

Somebody please lean on Lincoln Center/PBS to stream/rebroadcast Light in the Piazza and Contact.  I know O'Hara isn't in the broadcast Piazza..  

[MichelleCraig]

Posted: 5/8/20 at 11:35pm

I'm watching this now and I have a question. Is the physical production...sets and scenic design...identical to the production that played in New York? I ask because I'd always heard that the opening scene, with the ship arriving in Bangkok, was breathtaking; that the ship seemed to move out beyond the proscenium, etc. In this performance from the London Palladium, there was nothing about the opening scene that had my jaw drop.

I wasn't expecting a 500 foot clipper ship, but based on everything I'd heard...I wasn't expecting the small set piece on display here.

The rest of the show looks great. I saw the 1977 production with Yul Brynner and Constance Towers as well as the last revival with Donna Murphy and Lou Diamond Phillips. 

Just wondering about that opening scene. Maybe it's just something you had to see live, but there was nothing that looked like the bow of the ship was jutting out into the audience, etc.

[imeldasturn]

Posted: 5/8/20 at 11:39pm

No it's like the tour production, the Palladium stage can't slip over the orchestra pit like Lincoln Center's, so they had to make changes

[Hairspray0901]

Posted: 5/9/20 at 12:09am

I watched this tonight and loved it. Saw it on Broadway in 2015 and from what I remember, the tip of the boat came out over the audience at Lincoln Center. I was telling my Mom about it as we saw the boat appear on stage during this and then nothing happened haha.

Thought this production was magical though, without the boat effect. I’m so glad Kelli, Ruthie and Ken’s performances will live on forever. Makes me wish they filmed the Lincoln Center production for release, too.

[mikey2573]

Posted: 5/9/20 at 12:23am

I wonder why, with such a large and wonderful sounding orchestra, they did an edited down version of the overture.  I think THE KING AND I has one of the best overtures ever.  If you doubt it, just listen to the Yul Brynner Constance Towers revival recording from (I think) 1977, it is I believe the only full recording of the overture.  It is amazing.  But they didn't do the full original overture.  Why?  Other than that (and the odd acting choices of the actor playing Chulalonghorn (sp?) ) I thought it was wonderful. 

[MichelleCraig]

Posted: 5/9/20 at 12:47am

Thanks for the answer here, Imelda. I would've thought the Palladium's stage could've handled the physical Lincoln Center production.

I also miss the 1977 overture...

Still, it's great that this production was preserved. The cost of doing these here in the states is prohibitive.

[VotePeron]

Posted: 5/9/20 at 2:01am

For what it's worth, the boat was vastly overhyped on here, even when at the Beaumont. I was underwhelmed the first time I saw it after reading the reports on here of the magical boat. (The second time I saw it, sitting front row for Marin's first show, is a totally different story though lol)

[joevitus]

Posted: 5/10/20 at 4:58am

People are talking about the large orchestra, but I missed the broadcast, and from the clip that's available, the orchestrations seem scaled down (unpleasantly so) to me.

Updated On: 5/10/20 at 04:58 AM

[candydog2]

Posted: 5/10/20 at 12:42pm

The physical production couldn't quite be the same as the Palladium has a proscenium arch stage, not a thrust stage like the Lincoln Centre. It's still enormous though.

[Call_me_jorge]

Posted: 5/10/20 at 12:55pm

Wasn’t the Sher South Pacific revival at the Barbican? I wonder why the King and I couldn’t play there. Doesn’t it have similar dimensions to the Vivian Beaumont?

[imeldasturn]

Posted: 5/10/20 at 1:15pm

The two previous revivals of The King and I played the Palladium, so they probably wanted to go on with the tradition. Plus it's one of London's most prestigious venues, even if they overestimated its possibility to sell it for the entire summer.

[phantom39]

Posted: 5/10/20 at 6:36pm

Well this London production ran for just 3-4 months if i am not mistaken, so they probably wanted to save on some bits.