THE KING AND I – To Go Further
At the end of the 19th century, a young British widowed schoolteacher, Anna Leonowens, travels with her son to the Kingdom of Siam (present-day Thailand) to become the governess of King Mongkut’s children.
This is the plot of Anna and the King of Siam, an American novel by Margaret Landon (1944) that recounts Anna Leonowens’ memoirs. This story has been adapted many times, notably as a musical by Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II in 1951 on Broadway. A film adaptation was made from this show in 1956, starring Yul Brynner and Deborah Kerr.
When the musical was revived in 2014 at the Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris, Lee Blakeley directed the production. The costumes were designed by Sue Blane.
The black faille dress is worn by Susan Graham, who plays Anna Leonowens. It perfectly symbolizes the austere and reserved nature of this young English widow.
On the contrary, the green dress illustrates traditional Siamese costumes from the late 19th century. This costume belonged to the young chorus member Mayuko Yasuda.