Cast announced for The King and I ahead of Birmingham run

Performing as Anna, fresh from her West End success, will be Annalene Beechey and reprising his critically acclaimed Broadway performance as The King will be Jose Llana.

Speaking ahead of the show, Annalene said: “I absolutely love playing Anna, she is a dream role for any actress. I’m delighted to bring this wonderful production and our glorious King to the Midlands!”

Jose added: “After playing the King on Broadway and all over the USA this role has such a special place in my heart, so to be able to tour the beautiful UK and see so many of your incredible cities like Birmingham is really exciting for me.”

Other casting includes Cezarah Bonner as Lady Thiang, alongside Kok-Hwa Lie in the role of Kralahome and Aaron Teoh Guan Tias Prince Chulalongkorn. Philip Bulcock will take on the dual roles of Captain Orton and Sir Edward Ramsay and William M Lee will play Phra Alack. The female ensemble will include Yuki Abe, Miiya Alexandra, Aiko Kato, Misa Koide, Ela Lisondra, Yuki Ozeki, Ena Yamaguchi and Sian Yeo. The male ensemble will include Iroy Abesamis, Cletus Chan, Steven Hardcastle, Eu Jin Hwang, Jesse Milligan, Prem Rai and Joaquin Pedro Valdes. The Swings will be Rachel Jayne Picar, Nick Len, Jasmine Leung and Samuel How.

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 schoolteacher whom the modernist King, in an imperialistic world, brings to Siam to teach his many wives and children.

The King and I comes to Birmingham's Alexandra Theatre from December 10 to January 4.

For more information and to buy tickets, click here.