"THE KING AND I"

 The most outstanding ; beautiful; artistic;
and very rich play I ever seen. The actors and actress, are very talented.
Sublime sceneries; The music is grandiose; the dances are filled with art, elegance and beauty.
The wardrobe, is simply majestic.
I recommend everybody that may have a chance, to go see it. You will be glad you did. I had seen
 "The King And I"
as a movie, many years ago, but, seeing it now as a play, was something I will never forget, for the rest of my life.
I am going to post a few pictures for everyone to see the magnitude of this play.
 If there, is any body, that had a chance to see it and want to send your opinions, It would be great.
Enjoy the pictures, as much as I enjoyed to watch it live.
 

The King and I, is based on the novel "Anna and the King" by Margaret Landon, which was in turn inspired by the true story
of Anna Leonowens, an English teacher and traveler.

The true tale of The"King and I " begins in 1851, when King Mongkut assumed the Siamese throne.
The region was already under pressure by the British to submit to it's imperialist rule.
Prompting Mongkut conventional policy and invite foreign diplomats to Bangkok on their own accord.

In an effort to improve his nation and bring it into the developing international environment.
Mongkut decided to offer modern education to the almost 3,000 residents of the royal palace.
In 1862 Mongkut employed as governess Anna Leonowens, an English school teacher in Singapore.
Leonowens remained in Siam for five years and documented her experiences in two books,
The English Governess at the Siamese
Court and the Romance of the Harem.

Mongkut's eldest son, Chulalongkorn... who was taught English by Leonowens... succeeded his father in 1868 and instituted
progressive and revolutionary political and social reforms in Siam, including the abolition of Slavery.

Anna accepted the invitation to be a teacher at the royal palace, because the King's Prime Minister, told her,
that the King would built a house for her and her son Louis.
Weeks later, at the palace, Anna still not met the King.

Anna eventually gets her meeting with the King and they discuss how she teach his children,
( and his wives, which, was not on the contract)
Although the King balks at her request for the promised house.
 

Anna got to be introduced to all King's wives and to all his children, including Lady Thiang's son,
Crown Prince Chulalongkorn who is the heir to the throne.

Anna, hasn't received her house, and she confronts the King about it .
The King tells her, that she is his servant, and she will do as he says.
That, infuriates Anna, because she came from a civilized country, as a teacher and she will never accept the
King's way of thinking about doing things. The world knew him as a Barbarian.

After a while, Anna feels happy among the King's children, and about teaching them. They all loved her and respected her very much..

The Crown Prince, told his father how much he has been learning with Anna.
The King is accepting of science and the new knowledge his family getting, but he is secretly frightened by the changing times.

Anna and the King begin planning a massive party for Sir Edwards Ramsey, the British diplomat, to prove the King and his people are
not savages. The party will include dinner, dancing and a special presentation of Tuptim's adaptation of Uncle Tom's Cabin. The King
asks Buddha for help in preparing the party, and unexpectedly agrees to provide Anna with her long awaited house.

"The story continues with all the festivities"
 

The festivities in honor of Sir Edward Ramsey continue.
Sir Edward, was Anna's old friend, and he was very happy to see Anna, and after dinner, he invites Anna to dance.
Anna accepted, but the King was a little bit jealous about it.
As the time goes by, Anna still not received the house for her and her son as the king promised her, so she threatens to stop
teaching and return to England. With Anna no longer teaching, Lun Tha and Tuptim won't be able to carry on their secret
love affair, which they were pursuing under the cover of Anna's classes.
Lady Thiang (one of King's wives) comes to Anna room, and implores her to help and advise the King...
telling her the great things he is capable of.

On the evening of the festivities, Tuptim and Lun Tha, plan to escape on that evening.
Anna discovers their plan and wishes them well.

After Sir Edward leaves, the King asks Anna to show him how she dances, and he looks at her very proud of such beauty
and elegance, is working for him as his children's and wives teacher.
He just did not realize that he was in love with her.

Later, The King gives a beautiful ring to Anna, as a token of his appreciation for everything she has done.
Most of all, it was a token of his love for her.

Finally, he decides to ask her to dance with him.
Their passion for each other begins to be revealed through their dancing, but they are interrupted by the Kralahome
(King's Prime Minister) who reports that Tuptim has been found.

The King prepares to punish Tuptim by whipping her, but he is confronted by Anna, who won't back down until the King agrees
not to beat the girl. After a struggle of wills, The King throws down the whip and flees, his pride destroyed.
Anna, outraged at the King's behavior, prepares to leave her self.
.
 Months later, when Anna and her son Louis are just preparing to board the ship to take them away from Siam, They learn that the King
has grown gravely ill. He has sent a not to Anna, thanking her for all she has done for him and his nation. Anna returns to the King to
speak one last time before she leaves. The King's children enter the room and beg Anna not to go.
To the joy of the dying King and his children, Anna agrees to stay.

The King asks the Crown Prince what he will do when he is king and discovers that he has taken Anna's teaching to heart. As the Prince
tells of his future proclamations, his father quietly succumbs to his illness and dies.
The story ends with everyone bowing... Western style... to the new King Chulalongkorn.