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   The King and I at Lowry, Salford
Smash hit musical The King and I transports audiences from Salford to Siam with giant gold Buddhas, sumptuous costumes and acrobatic dancers; while the roles of The King's children have been filled with home-grown talent Leicester Curve’s acclaimed production of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s smash hit musical The King and I, directed by Paul Kerryson, stars Ramon Tikaram as The King, well known for his roles as Qadim in EastEnders and Ferdy in BBC drama This Life. Double Olivier Award-nominated actress, Josefina Gabrielle, will play the part of British governess Anna. The King’s children will be played by young people from all over Manchester and the North West. Over 130 talented children, with a love of performing arts, auditioned at The Lowry to become one of The King’s many sons and daughters. The candidates had 45 minutes to showcase their acting, dancing and singing skills to a panel of experts who eventually selected the 32 children who are to take to The Lowry’s stage. Six of the successful performers are from Salford, three are members of The Lowry Young Actors Company, and 12 were from Stagecoach Salford/Didsbury. The other successful performers were from Centre Pointe Manchester, The Hammond School Chester and various local private dance and drama schools. Matthew Rawcliffe, aged 12, from Northenden in Manchester, was one of the successful candidates who has been involved with The Lowry Young Actors Company, which gives talented young people the chance to work with industry professionals. Matthew said, “After working on projects in Salford and with The Lowry, and being familiar with its history, I just want to be part of the whole process of the performance and l look forward to working with such a fabulous cast”. The King and I tells the heart-warming story of the British governess brought to the court of Siam to tutor the King’s many children, told using one of the most beautiful scores ever written with sweeping melodies such as Shall We Dance, I Whistle A Happy Tune, Hello Young Lovers, The March of the Siamese Children and the unforgettable Getting To Know You. The King and I is widely regarded as one of the greatest musicals of all time, with a glorious soundtrack which remains a best seller today. It has been seen by millions of people across the world since it was first performed in 1951 when it was showered with awards and became a blockbuster Hollywood movie. Tue 21 February - Sat 25 February 2012 Due to problems with spam only SalfordOnline members can now leave comments. Becoming a member of SalfordOnline only takes a minute, just hit the red Join Us button at the top right hand side of the page to create your Personal account. Got a news story? Need help with publicity for an event in Salford? Send it to newsdesk@salfordonline.com or call the SalfordOnline newsdesk on 0161 789 5377. |
