Kevin Gray will reprise his Broadway role as the King alongside Elizabeth Renihan as Anna in a brand new production of the much-loved Rodgers and Hammerstein musical The King & I, which opens at the Alexandra Theatre in Birmingham tomorrow night.

Directed by Stephen Rayne, this new production will use as its inspiration Anna and the King of Siam, the original Margaret Landon novel on which this all-time classic musical is based.

Celebrating the 50th year since the release of the Oscar-winning movie, it will explore some of the myths behind this enchanting story, which is set in the early 1860s in the Royal capital city of Bangkok in the Kingdom of Siam.

Kevin Gray's extensive US theatre credits include Phantom in Phantom of the Opera, the Engineer in Miss Saigon and Pontius Pilate in Jesus Christ Superstar, whilst Elizabeth Renihan has worked extensively with the Royal Shakespeare Company and the Royal National Theatre.

The King and I is set to one of the most glorious, beautiful and unforgettable scores ever written for the stage, including Shall We Dance? I Whistle A Happy Tune, Hello Young Lovers, Getting To Know You, I Have Dreamed and Something Wonderful.

The original production of The King and I, with lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II and music by Richard Rodgers, opened on Broadway in 1951 and has captured millions in the decades since with its delightful story of Anna Leonowens, brought to the court of Siam as tutor to the King's 67 children.

The King and I is directed by Stephen Rayne with choreography by Nikki Woolaston, musical supervision by John Rigby and sound design by Colin Pink.

Vulture flew down south last week as an honoured guest at a bash thrown by Sir Elton John (natch) and his fiance (or would that be fiancee) David Furnish.

The loved-up pair were hosting a gala charity performance of Sir Elton's pet project, a stage musical of the hit film about a miner's son who dreams of being a ballerina - Billy Elliot.

The gala was being held for the Elton John AIDS Foundation and was attended by celebs including Michelle Collins, Ivana Trump, Natalie Imbruglia and Jo Malone.

Sir Elton, who came on stage with David before the show at the Victoria Place theatre, was keen to wrest some of the charitable attention that has been focused on Live8 back to the continuing battle against AIDS, encouraging the audience to help them not just make poverty history but "make AIDS history".

Sir Elton has written the music for the show (which he admits to having seen eight times already) with the lyrics by Lee Hall, who penned the original screenplay.

It has to be said that, fine playwright he may be, as a lyricist Lee is no Bernie Taupin. Vulture actually came out of the theatre humming not one of the tunes from the show but one of the songs from the film.

The play is directed by Stephen Daldry, who also helmed the Oscar nominated movie, and although the story is basically the same, its various messages - political and sexual - have been considerably expanded upon.

Set against the explosive backdrop of the miner's strike, it is a worker's lament to a dying industry with the monstrous figure of Margaret Thatcher tightening the noose.

But though she was easy to hate back in the day, now that she is reduced to a frail old grandmother, sidelined by her own party, a song which celebrates Christmas for bringing her one day closer to her death seems unnecessarily cruel.

And they make a complete song and dance about Billy's cross-dressing pal Michael's struggle with his sexuality, with both boys flinging on frocks and tapping away in celebration of their right to be individuals.

Nothing wrong with that but they might want to rethink some of their accessories. What it loses in subtlety and memorable lyrics it makes up for in energy and verve with some excellent performances, particularly from Tim Healy as Billy's dad, and beguiling dancing. A scene where Billy performs a pas de deux with his older self is spellbinding

At a good three hours it is too long and, oh my feathers, the language.

Parents taking their own aspiring Billys and Billerinas will have to clap their hands to their ears as even the smallest members of cast turn the air blue