IF, like me, your only experience of The King and I is occasionally catching it by chance on the television at Christmas, then the Lincoln Center’s award-winning production at Manchester Opera House will blow your mind.

Everything about is stunning, from the acting, the singing, the costumes, the sets and the staging.

It’s one of those experiences that you will remember for decades to come and, as stunned theatregoers were saying in the interval, it’s even better than the film.

The plot is more in-depth, characters are more fully realised and the inclusion of songs that were cut from the film give greater insight and delight.

It stars Jose Llana, from the Broadway production as The King, and Annalene Beechey from the West End production as Anna.

Their outstanding performances are matched by the entire cast.

It is perfection.

The shadow cast by Yul Brynner is non-existent thanks to Llana who has exactly the right mixture of authority, vulnerability and little-boy logic.

And Beechey is no two-dimensional bundle of saccharine. Feisty yet loving, she indicates a complex interior life with the lightest of touches.

Every song is enunciated to perfection – by whoever is singing – and special mention should go to Cezarah Bonner as head wife, Lady Thang, and Kamm Kunaree as Tuptim.

And as for the King’s children – they are adorable.

The set is suitably imposing – the front cloth alone used 500 books of gold leaf. But it’s also quite simple and supports what’s going on on stage, rather than dominating events.

This is the first time I have ever joined in a standing ovation and I cannot recommend this production, which is at The Opera House until May 11, highly enough.

Don’t miss it.