"Majestic" Tony Award-Winning Musical, The King And I is coming to Manchester

The King and I follows the story of the unconventional relationship that develops between the King of Siam and a British schoolteacher.

By Emma Davidson | 21 July 2022

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The King and I Kelli O'Hara and Ken Watanabe

Following the critically acclaimed Broadway smash-hit run, its sold-out record breaking season at the world famous London Palladium and its previous record breaking UK and International tour, The King and I will now embark on a new major UK tour from January 2023.

This unmissable, majestic production will open in Canterbury and then visit Wimbledon, Liverpool, Birmingham, Wycombe, Bristol, Dartford, Bradford, Southend, Cardiff, Manchester and Glasgow. Casting will be announced later this year with further UK cities, alongside a major international tour.

Acclaimed Tony Award-winning Bartlett Sher will once again direct the production and be reunited with the celebrated creative team that brought this majestic production of THE KING AND I to life at the London Palladium. The critics heaped praise on Sher’s Palladium production, The Times awarded the show “Five stars for a sumptuous King and I” declaring it “a hit” and another five stars were awarded from the Sunday Express and the Financial Times called it “simply spellbinding”. 

Set in 1860s Bangkok, the musical tells the story of the unconventional and tempestuous relationship that develops between the King of Siam and Anna Leonowens, a British school teacher whom the modernist King, in an imperialistic world, brings to Siam to teach his many wives and children. 

With one of the finest scores in musical history, including: Whistle a Happy Tune, Getting to Know You and Shall We Dance, featuring a company of over 50 world-class performers, and full scale orchestra, THE KING AND I is a testament to the lavish heritage of gloriously romantic musical theatre – it is the greatest musical from the golden age of musicals. 

Producer Howard Panter said: “We are delighted to take this majestic multi award-winning production of THE KING AND I on a major UK and international tour in 2023.  

“The London Palladium season saw critical plaudits, Box Office records and standing ovations at every show – we were overwhelmed with the rapturous response. Coupled with the reaction to the Global cinema screenings of the film version – which was the biggest theatre event in cinemas of the year and number one at the Box Office. This really is musical theatre at its very best, so we are thrilled that we can now share this wondrous production with theatre lovers up and down the country next year.”

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The King and I

Dates: 8th – 12th May 2023
Venue: Palace Theatre

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