The King and I

The King and I, the fifth musical produced by the duo of composer Richard Rodgers and dramatist Oscar Hammerstein, premiered at Broadway’s St. James Theatre in March 1951. The musical is based on Margaret Landon’s novel Anna and the King of Siam (1944). The plot follows British schoolteacher Anna who is hired by the King of Siam as part of an initiative to modernize the country.

Set in 1862, the play opens as Anna Leonowens, a recently widowed teacher, arrives in Bangkok at the King’s request, tasked with tutoring his many children. The Kralahome, the King’s prime minister, arrives to escort Anna and her son, Louis, to the palace where they are to live for the duration of their stay. Before her arrival, Anna had specified that she wished to stay in a separate dwelling; she finds that the King has already breached the terms of their contract. She debates leaving but decides to follow the Kralahome to the palace instead.

In the next weeks, Anna and Louis are confined to their rooms in the palace. Tuptim, a slave girl, arrives from Burma, a gift from the king, and is set to become one of the King of Siam’s many wives. However, she is already in love with Lun Tha, the scholar who has escorted her on her journey to Siam. She tells the King that he may own her, but he will never have her heart.



The King presents Anna to her new students. She introduces herself and tells them about her late husband, Tom. Anna is immediately charmed by the children. She is also instructed to teach their mothers. In an attempt to get the King to see the importance of having one’s own house, Anna teaches the schoolchildren songs that extoll the virtues of home life. This irritates the King, and he wonders why Anna must be so difficult. Anna is adamant about securing her own housing, threatening to leave Siam if her conditions are not met. This brings great sadness to the children and their mothers. The King attempts to assert his authority over Anna, treating her as his servant; she runs away, refusing to accept the role.

Anna is furious over the confrontation. The King’s head wife, Lady Thiang, approaches her, explaining that the King is worried about his reputation in the West of being a barbarian. Anna is surprised to hear this. The King is a polygamist but she would never think to label him as barbaric. The King tells her that the British are sending an envoy to Siam to investigate the situation and are considering taking over Siam as a protectorate.

In order to convince the British that there is no need to intervene in the ruling of Siam, the King’s subjects are instructed to adopt certain British customs. The King orders his wives to wear Western-style dresses, which they find very uncomfortable. The envoy arrives, who, it turns out, is Sir Edward Ramsay, with whom Anna has had a brief but passionate romance. Edward attempts to convince her to return to British society, fearing for her safety.



While everyone is preoccupied with Sir Edward’s arrival, Tuptim orchestrates a meeting with Lun Tha, who tells her that he has a plan for them both to escape and that she should make herself ready after dinner. After investigating the place to his satisfaction, Sir Edward takes his leave. Anna and the King are overjoyed at the success of the evening, and to demonstrate his happiness with her, he gives her the gift of a ring.

Shortly thereafter, the secret police report to the King that Tuptim has gone missing. The King believes that Anna knows something about the disappearance, but Anna questions why he is interested, given that Tuptim is just one of many women to him. The King is pleased that the schoolteacher seems to finally be gaining an understanding of Siamese customs. Anna tries to explain to the King the customs of Western courtship, telling him about the important role of the formal dance. The King insists that Anna teach him the dance; in this way, they come to realize that they have strong feelings for one another that they can never speak aloud.

The Kralahome interrupts their intimate moment, informing the King that Tuptim has been captured. Stating that Tuptim must be punished, the King goes after her with the whip but finds himself unable to use it in Anna’s presence. Lun Tha is found dead, and Tuptim is dragged off and never heard from again.



After witnessing this incident, Anna asks the Kralahome to return the ring to the King. She makes plans to leave Siam, and several weeks pass without any contact between her and the King. Just before she boards the ship, she receives word that the King is dying. She rushes to his bedside and they make up. The King persuades Anna to take back his ring and to stay in Siam to assist his successor.