Incredible dress that weighs almost THREE STONE is centrepiece of The King and I in Milton Keynes

The critically acclaimed production arrives in MK fresh from its sell out season at The London Palladium.

With incredible songs and lavish scenery, Bartlett Sher’s interpretation of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Tony Award-winning classic is a 'triumphant' revival of the golden age of musicals, say critics.

To transport the audience to the ornate and imperialistic 1860s Bangkok, the production features more than 300 hundred Tony and Olivier Award-winning costumes.

These involve more than 2,500 metres of fabric, 1,000 metres of braid and 250 metres of gold leaf.

In the garden scene alone, there are 22,000 flowers that have each been painstakingly made by hand.

The production features more than 50 world‐class performers and a full scale orchestra to play what is billed as one of the finest scores ever written – including songs such as I Whistle a Happy Tune, Getting to Know You, Something Wonderful and Shall We Dance.

The iconic dress worn by Anna in ‘Shall We Dance’ is the one that weighs 40lb and is so big that it can't fit through any doors back stage or any dressing rooms.

It's such a strain to wear that leading lady Annalene has to have physiotherapy every week!

Fresh from her West End success, Annalene Beechey said “I absolutely love playing Anna, she is a dream role for any actress. I’m delighted to bring this wonderful production and our glorious King to Milton Keynes.”

The King is played by Darren Lee.

The show opens at Milton Keynes Theatre tomorrow (Tuesday( and runs for almost two weeks Saturday, March 7.

Tickets are still available here.