Call the Midwife star Helen George is heading back to the stage for a touring production of the musical The King and I.
The actress, who has played Trixie Franklin on the long-running BBC series since 2012, will play the lead Anna in the new show.
Set in 1860s Bangkok, The King and I tells the story of the unconventional and tempestuous relationship that develops between the King of Siam and Anna Leonowens, a British schoolteacher who the modernist King, in an imperialistic world, brings to Siam to teach his many wives and children.
It is set to kick off on February 4 in Canterbury and will travel to Wimbledon, Liverpool, Birmingham, Llandudno, High Wycombe, Bristol, Dartford, Bradford, Southend, Cardiff, Glasgow and Dublin, with more locations to be announced soon.
"Theatre is my first love, and I am so excited to be returning to the stage for this beautiful, majestic production of The King and I," Helen said in a statement. "I was blown away when I saw Bartlett Sher's staging of this wonderful show, so I can't wait to work with him and the rest of the creative team to bring this timeless story back to the stage next year.
"Anna is such a strong, passionate and determined character, and I'm going to relish bringing her to life every night, as well as giving audiences all over the UK the chance to see this peerless Broadway and West End musical right on their doorstep."
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This lavish production will be brought to the stage under Tony Award-winning director Bartlett Sher, who also directed the likes of South Pacific, My Fair Lady, and To Kill a Mockingbird.
The show will also feature a world-class company of over 50 talented performers and a full-scale orchestra, with further casting announcements to follow.
Call the Midwife airs on BBC One.
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Tasha is a freelance writer for with a particular interest in the representation of women in film and TV. After graduating with a Literature degree then journalism qualifications with News Associates a few years further back than she’d like to admit, Tasha began her freelance career. She’s worked as a writer, editor and commissioning editor for a number of publications including Digital Spy. She is also a theatre critic. LinkedIn
