The King And I
11th - 16th May 1981
Photographs by John Tustin
Production Officials
Director Audrey H. McL. Raistrick
Musical Director Jessie Whittaker
Choreographer Wendy Duckworth
Cast
The King David Holmes
Anna Leonowens Rene Cave
Louis Leonowens Alistair Morrell
Lun Tha Michael Taylor
Tuptim Joyce Foster
Captain Orton Jack Sutcliffe
Lady Thiang Dorothy Hilton
Prince Chululongkorn Robin Jones
The Interpreter Stanley Collinson
The Kralahome Gordon Eckersley
Phra Alack Andrew Turton
Sir Edward Ramsey Ernest Pollitt
Princess Ying Yaowlak Michelle Foster/Rachel Griffiths
Ballet
Narrator Joyce Foster
Uncle Tom Janet Welsby
Little Eva Christine Mason
Topsy Joanne Richardson
Eliza Barbara Martin
Simon of Legree Glenys Collinson
Angel Susan Tucker
Buddha Adrian Pollitt
Dancers
Claire Blackburn, Carol Dunsbee, Belinda Hamer, Gillian Kirby, April Marland, Dorothy Pitfield, Fiona Steel, Dorothy Yardley, Catherine Wilkinson, Ruth Wilcock, Barbara Tidy, Bronwen Lee
The Royal Wives, Amazons & Ballet Chorus
Pauline Entwistle, Mina Kirkbright, Ruth Myers, Glenys M. Poole, Norma Pollitt, Mary Pycroft, Joe Ring, Margaret Steel, Susan Thistlethwaite, Jean Thornley, Betty Towler, Janice Warburton
Slaves, Priests & Guards
Peter Collinson, Ashley Deacon, Bill Dixon, Robin Foster, Denis Hamer, Fred Myers, Adrian Pollitt, Daniel Robins, Graham Yardley
Royal Princes & Princesses
Ann Entwistle, Louise Gibson, Sarah Griffiths, Sarah Hill, Alison Lee, Katherine Morgan, Alex McGrath, Nigel McGurk, Emma Steel, Alison Warburton, Zoe Dalton, Suzanne Ashton, Jean Blundell, Meredith Collinson, Beverley Foster, Michelle Foster, Helen Poole, Kimberley Watts, Emma Tickle, Timothy Collinson, Paul Kirkbright, Andrew Rostron

Bolton Evening News Review
The Rodgers and Hammerstein musical “The King And I” is as popular now as when it was launched nearly 30 years ago.

It’s based on the actual adventures of an English governess who taught the King of Siam’s 67 children, plus his numerous wives.

But it’s mainly a marvellous evening of good tunes, such as “Getting To Know You”, “Shall We Dance” and “Hello Young Lovers”. There is also a good supply of Gilbertian-style wit and paradox such as the ladies chorus, dressed in Western-style crinolines, singing: “To prove we are not savages, she has dressed us as barbarians.”

Walmsley Church AODS are playing to packed houses with it this week for their week’s run at the Egerton school hall. It’s a production which moves swiftly under the skilled direction of Audrey Raistrick and abounds in bright and colourful Eastern costumes and sets.

Rene Cave plays the governess and has most of the singing to do. She tells her pupils: “enunciate the beginning and the end of every word.” Miss Cave does just that and projects her music with charm.

The impulsive, intellectual King is memorably acted and sung by David Holmes and there are good performances from Dorothy Hilton (Lady Thiang), Joyce Foster (Tuptim), Gordon Eckersley (Prime Minister), Alistair Morrell (Louis) and Robin Jones (Prince).

One of the highlights of the evening is the presentation of the tale of Uncle Tom’s Cabin. It’s imaginatively choreographed by Wendy Duckworth and Simon is danced by Glenys Collinson.

Walmsley have mustered 24 children, aged from five upwards, for the Royal Children and their entry in the famous March had us all going “Ah”.

Musical direction is by Jessie Whittaker.
Back to top