Synopsis

ACT I: Scene 1: Deck of ship Chow Phya
Anna's son Louis runs on deck and is greeted by Captain Orton who points out the lights of Bangkok. When Anna comes on deck, Louis shows her the lights and asks if the King will be on the dock to meet them. As the captain tries to warn Anna about what she will be facing, Louis spies an ornate boat approaching. It is carrying the Kralahome, a sort of Prime Minister and the King's right-hand man. Anna is shocked at the half-naked Siamese attendants but the Captain warns her, the Kralahome has immense power. Louis seems frightened by the approaching entourage but Anna comforts him by telling him her secret; she whistles whenever she feels frightened. (Whenever I Feel Afraid)

Intimidating-looking Siamese slaves appear, causing a new burst of whistling. Once again, the captain must warn her: whistling might seem disrespectful. The interpreter insolently greets Anna, calling her 'sir', and the Kralahome comes on deck addressing the interpreter in Siamese. He ascertains that Anna is the one who will teach the royal children, that she is a widow, and that she knows no one in Bangkok. She finally bristles at the personal questions. When the Kralahome hears the translation of her comments, he kicks the interpreter and starts to speak English himself.

Anna is upset when she learns she is expected to live at the royal palace (she has been promised a house of her own), but she is told the King sometimes 'forgets' his promises and reminding him will only make him angry. Besides he is too busy to see her now, he is involved with the New Year's celebrations and the cremation of the Queen who died four years ago. When Anna says she will tell the King herself, the Kralahome can only smile at her naïveté, and they leave the ship.

Scene 2. The King's study: Three weeks later
The King dictates letters to his secretary, ignoring a group of girl dancers. When he finishes, they leave and the Kralahome approaches the King about the school teacher. She has been there several weeks although the King has not been informed of her presence — she to be disciplined first for harping on her own house.

An emissary from Burma, Lun Tha, arrives bringing a young girl, Tuptim, a gift from the Prince of Burma. (She speaks English.) The King looks at her closely then walks off. The Kralahome tells her the King is pleased with her, but she follows the King with eyes full of hatred and sings sarcastically of her status in his harem. In My Lord and Master she resolves she will be obedient to him, however, and he will never find she loves another man (Lun Tha). Anna is brought in and demands to know when she will start teaching. She has been kept practically a prisoner in her room in the palace. She has been seeing the ceremonies etcetera from her window but has not been able to go about the palace. He is fascinated by the word etcetera. Throughout the scene, Anna tries to bring up the house, but he keeps putting her off. When he tells her his plans for modernizing Siam, she says she has already learned about them, and he admires her 'scientific' attitude. He tells her he has 'only' sixty-seven children; she will teach the ones whose mothers are in his favor.

A wife, Lady Thiang, enters, prostrates herself before the King and starts to sing an English song she has learned from missionaries. He explains she will help Anna teach the children, and he finally notices Tuptin and praises her on her English. Anna is shocked to learn she is a present from Burma. Tuptim asks if Anna has any English books she can read. She is especially anxious to read Harriet Beecher Stowe's The Small House of Uncle Thomas. Amazed that a woman has written a book about slavery, the King announces President Lingkong [sic] is against slavery, and he is also. He says Anna will teach those of his wives who are in favor, then leaves, signaling Tuptim to follow him.

When he is gone, the wives all come in and surround Anna curiously. They are especially fascinated by her hoop skirt; they think she must be shaped like that. When Anna says she has one boy child, Lady Thiang replies she also has a boy, Crown Prince Chowfa Chulalongkorn. Lady Thiang calls her 'sir' because she is 'scientific', not 'lowly like a woman'. All the wives happily assure the shocked Anna that women are more lowly then men. Lady Thiang also tells Anna she thinks Tuptin loves another man, but she will never see him again. Anna is romantic, she was very much in love with her husband Tom. As Lady Thiang admires his picture, Anna reminisces about her love for him in Hello Young Lovers.

The King returns and introduces the royal children who range in age from five to ten. One at a time they prostrate themselves before the King, then greet Anna by taking her hands and pressing them against their foreheads. When Chulalongkorn comes in, the music emphasizes his importance. Won over, Anna decides to stay in Siam, takes off her bonnet, and is soon surrounded by the children.

Scene 3: The palace grounds: Sometime later
In a contrast between East and West, a group of priests chant while children march by singing Home Sweet Home. As the children leave, the King holds Chulalongkorn back and quizzes him about what he has learned. He is annoyed when the boy recites: "East or West, home is best". Another reference to a home! The Crown Prince says they were taught that the world is a round ball that spins on a stick but everyone knows it rides and the back of a great turtle. They discuss knowing and believing, and, after the boy leaves, the King soliloquizes: "When you are King. But I do not know. I am not sure. I am not sure of anything. (When I was a boy). He then raises his arms in prayer to Buddha to show the way.

Scene IV: The Schoolroom. A year later
An old map on the wall shows a large Siam with heroic figure of a king and a much smaller neighboring Burma with a little naked king. The children are singing their school song (in English). They then sit down facing the map. Lady Thiang points out the large Siam and the small Burma. The King of Siam is a strong warrior; the King of Burma is very poor. The children are enthusiastic about the difference but Anna unrolls a new map showing the countries in their true sizes. To the disbelief of the all, Siam is very smaller, but they are relieved to find England is even smaller. She tells them how happy she is to know them all (Getting to Know You), then tells them of Norway where it is so cold people can walk on water in the winter. Again disbelief. When she tells them of snow, they no longer believe anything she tells them and Chulalongkorn asserts Siam is the biggest country in the world! Amid the resulting pandemonium the King enters, and all but Anna and Louis prostrate themselves. The King affirms the existence of snow; he has seen pictures of Switzerland and tells them they should believe everything the teacher tells them. He orders Anna to teach, not waste time on silly songs like Home Sweet Home and not keep reminding him about the house; he does not remember promising anything. She should remember he is king, and she is his servant. She reacts immediately and says if she does not get her house she will return to England. The pupils react in dismay, promise to learn and beg her to stay, but she can not stay in a country where a promise has no meaning.

After all leave, Tuptim enters and starts to read. Lun Tha joins her and asks where Mrs. Anna is. When told she is leaving Siam, he is dismayed. She has been allowing the couple to meet together in her presence. Without her they will never be able to meet again. (We Kiss in a Shadow) Lady Thiang sees them together and leaves. Sensing someone was there, Tuptin sends Lun Tha away.

Intermediate Scene
Chulalongkorn and Louis meet. They realize even grown-ups don't always know everything and can be confused.

Scene 5: Anna's bedroom
As she prepares for bed, an indignant Anna thinks of all the things she wishes she had told the King, alternating between anger at the King's behavior and her the love for the children. Lady Thiang comes to ask Anna to go to the King. He has not asked for her but he needs help. Agents in Singapore have found a letter from people who want Britain to take over Siam and make it a protectorate calling the King a barbarian. Only Anna can help the King who is really a wonderful man who tries hard but thinks with his heart. (Something Wonderful)

Intermediate Scene
Lady Thiang tells the Kralahome Anna will go to the King. To prevent trouble, the minister will tell the King that Anna needs him.

Scene 6: The King's study
The King has been reading the Bible and, when Anna enters, he tells her he thinks Moses was a fool for believing the world was created in six days. He then accepts her 'apology' even though she has not said anything. He asks if President Linkgong will win the war he is fighting (The Civil War) and if he has enough elephants? When told they don't have elephants in America he resolves to send some and, sitting on the floor, starts to dictate a letter.

He breaks off suddenly; Anna's head is above his which shows disrespect. When she sits on the floor, he lies prone, and she is required to do so also. He proposes to send several pairs of young male elephants to America where they will reproduce and increase. She points out the fallacy of only male elephants and starts to leave but, to get him to tells her what is really on his mind, she asks if any news came on the boat from Singapore.

He tells her 'they' call him a barbarian, and he is afraid Queen Victoria will believe them; he has no one to speak for him. Subtly she suggests what he should do, making him think it is all his own idea. Sir Edward Ramsey is coming to Siam and the King will show him how modern and progressive he is. They decide to dress all the women in western dress. Excitedly he wakes everyone to announce his plans. They will paint the ladies faces very pale. They will give a fine European dinner and have dancing and a theatrical performance. Tuptim has written a play about Uncle Tom's Cabin.

He is suspicious when she calls Ramsey by his first name Edward and says they are old friends. The wives file in and he announces in one week they will give a dinner for thirty people; they must make tablecloths of finest white silk and tell the musicians to learn to play western music. All will work without sleeping to accomplish this. If all is not done, everyone will be beaten a hundred strokes. During this time he is not to be worried about anything.

Suddenly, there is the loud noise of a cannon. The British gunboat has arrived without warning! Now they have only eighteen hours to get everything done. They ask help from Buddha; if Buddha helps Anna accomplish everything, he will give her a house.

ACT II Scene 1: The schoolroom converted to a dressing room
The women are dressing in their hoop skirts and having their faces painted white by Chinese artists. They are not pleased with the result but are told they must do it to prove they are not barbarians. The King enters and, when the ladies prostrate themselves, the hoops fly up revealing what is missing from their costume. The King does not understand why undergarments are important and why they need to hide their legs. However, when Anna takes off her smock to reveal her gown, the King is shocked to see her bare shoulders.

The arrival of the British guests frightens the wives; they think they will eat them. The King gives Anna a list of topics she should bring up during dinner, beginning with Moses. That will show how the foreigners how brilliant the King is. When Sir Edward Ramsey enters wearing a monocle, the ladies are frightened by his 'evil eye'. They throw their hoop skirts over their heads and run out. The King reveals that he has only seventy-seven children but he has not been married very long. When dinner is announced, the King leaves. The music of a waltz is heard and Anna and Sir Edward start to dance, reminiscing about the past. The King returns, observes them and furiously interrupts them, saying Anna is needed to help seat the guests.

Scene 2: The palace grounds
Tuptin is looking for Lun Tha when Lady Thiang enters, tells her he will leave Siam that evening, and goes out. Lun Tha appears wanting to take her with him. They agree to meet after the play. (I Have Dreamed) Anna enters to tell Tuptim they need her at the theatre. (Reprise of Hello Young Lovers)

Scene 3: The theatre pavilion
Tuptin introduces Small House of Uncle Thomas. As she narrates and the chorus echoes her, actors and dancers mime the actions. A waving ribbon represents the river which lies still when it freezes for Eliza to cross. There are frequent references to Buddha. After the death of 'King Simon of Legree', her emotions lead her to exclaim: "I too am glad for the death of King, of any King who pursues slave who is unhappy and tries to join her lover!

Scene 4: The King's study
The King and Sir Edward are talking. The King was unhappy with the immoral play which showed a King drown when pursuing a slave. However, they have come to a 'felicity of agreement' about Siam. After Sir Edward leaves, The King thanks Anna for her help and gives her a ring, then announces that a white elephant has been discovered, a good omen.

The Kralahome announces that the secret police have arrived. Serving as waiters, they have been eavesdropping on the British and report that the King made an excellent impression. Told Tuptim is missing from the palace, the King can't understand why she should be unhappy; she will be punished. Anna asked why he is so interested in Tuptin. She is just another woman as a bowl of rice is just another bowl of rice. He has been reading poetry and thinks love is a strange idea and love poetry nonsense; women were designed to please men, and he must be like a honey bee and collect all he can. The conversation leads to the dancing of a polka. (Shall We Dance) The dancing lesson is interrupted by the Kralahome who announces Tuptim has been found. Soon she bursts in and begs Anna not to let them beat her. When Anna tries to interfere, the King decides to do the beating himself. However, he can not bring himself to do it and rushes off. As the guards start to drag Tuptim out, news is brought that Lun Tha had been found dead. When the Kralahome turns on Anna and tells her she has destroyed the King, she announces she will leave on the next boat and asks him to return the ring to the King. He wishes she had never come to Siam.

Intermediate Scene
Captain Orton arrives to the announcement that the king is very ill. A procession in honor of the white elephant, crosses the stage. Chulalongkorn is stopped and told his father is worse; he must return to the palace at once.

Scene 5: Anna's house
Lady Thiang is there alone when Chulalongkorn comes in looking for Anna. The boy confesses he does not know how to be king; he has been thinking of all the things Anna has taught him. When Anna arrives, Lady Thiang gives her a letter the King has written her; he doesn't want to die without thanking her for all she has taught him. Anna decides to go to him.

Intermediate Scene: A palace corridor
Anna and Louis arrive to visit the dying King. She tells her son the King has tried to be a good ruler, and she likes him very much.

Scene 6: The King's study
The King is in bed . Lady Thiang, Chulalongkorn and the Kralahome are in attendance. He tells Anna he is not afraid to die and, to her surprise, starts the whistling song his son has taught him. He gives her back the ring and asks her to please wear it. Touched, she puts it on. The children enter, prostrate themselves, and beg Anna not to go; they are afraid. At the King's request she teaches them the whistling song. The boat whistle is heard and suddenly Anna decides not to leave, telling Louis to run tell the captain to take their boxes off the ship. The King asks Chulalongkorn to tell what he will do when he becomes king. Gaining confidence as he proceeds, and with the King's approval, the boy announces he will proclaim fireworks and boat races for the coming New Year, and he will abolish this "custom of bowing to King in fashion of lowly toad" (kowtowing); he believes this is a bad thing. He orders all the others to rise, and the King tells them to form two lines like soldiers. He affirms his son's proclamations, then closes his eyes and dies while Chulalongkorn continues to instruct them on how to stand tall, the men to bow from the waist, and the ladies to curtsy. All the women do so as the curtain falls.

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