"The King and I"

Went last night to see 'The King and I' as performed by the Light Opera Group of the Negev.

Inevitable comparisons to our own shows.

If there were some way to have men in our cast (eunuchs?) then it really adds to the choral harmonies.

Hmm... maybe not.

But the scene changes were also impressive because there was no tape on the stage but they must have had six different arrangements of where to put walls and steps and trees and such, and it was done super-fast and accurately, each time. I believe they have a person just in charge of the set and where it goes.

Musically, ambient music (something playing while people are not singing, or just talking, or whatever) makes ALL the difference. Why couldn't we audition a couple of strings and a wind instrument to be in our show, just like we audition dancers and actresses? Or even have subtle recorded music to play over certain speaking rolls - it just would take us to the next level.

And maybe someone in RBS wants to 'audition' to be our musical coach as well, working on harmonies, etc? Or maybe if we have additional instrumentation, one of our existing musical ladies could focus more on the singing?

As for voices, they had clearly been coached, and they had some superb natural talent (although Anna was either getting a cold or getting over one - well hidden, but not entirely - but she still had more voice than ME on the video, but I'm not harping on that point, oh, not at all...). Our children are better directed than their children, more effusive and smiley and warm (although they DID line up PERFECTLY for their finale, on the first try!).

Back to their sets, they were nice because each piece was exactly the same flate, painted style - so their trees were flat painted trees, bookcases flat painted cases. Not that flat trees are better than leafy glue gunned trees, but everything looked like it matched - and it was lovely. They were also very creative with four sets of stairs, arranging them back to back to make raised platforms, all in a row to make steps up to a dais, all on the side to make bleachers for students to sit like in school, etc, one standing alone with a ship's steering wheel on it to be a prow, etc.

Their costumes were lovely, all bright and silky, but mildly disappointing because Anna's skirt wasn't very big, IT WAS TOO SHORT which was inaccurate and distracting, and she only had one skirt change (she wore the same skirt for most of the play with different jackets, etc). Her skirt is far too key a piece for it to have stayed the same so long. It was a pity.

But sach hakol, all I came away with was, "we're just as good and just as entertaining, except they have strings and wind instruments."

Oh, and if we ever do this play, I get to hit the gong, alright?