Inspired by a photograph, in some ways Miss Saigon is a reworking of Madame Butterfly, and features a suitably operatic dose of lyrical romance, biting wit, passion, politics and corruption. It ran on Broadway, and in London, for over a decade and has had major productions world wide (the last Sydney season was 2007 at the Lyric).
Boublil and Schonberg’s musical is at times lush, melting and lyrical (‘Sun and Moon’) and at other times scary and menacing (‘The Morning of the Dragon’), and quite operatic in parts (again, the Puccini influence). The orchestra here, under the elegant baton of conductor Greg Jones soars, sparkles, and ominously rumbles.
There is fine ensemble work by all (especially in the spectacular ‘The Morning of the Dragon’, vivid in red and black, incorporating Asian martial arts; and also in the other huge production number in Act 2, ‘The American Dream’) and the company is blessed with some amazing leads.
Veronica Alonzo as Kim is fabulous – she sings divinely. We avidly follow her journey from relatively innocent country girl, to bar girl, to steely, determined young mother who, having experienced true love, sacrifices herself for her son. For a lot of the show her ‘otherness’ is emphasised and distinguishes her from the other women as she wears a modest white cheongsam rather than the raunchier, more revealing clothes the other bar girls wear.
Jeremy Curtin as Chris is fabulous. His ‘Why, God, Why?’ in Act 1 – quite an operatic tenor aria in most respects – is brilliantly sung; a total showstopper. He has a terrific voice and presence. We see how his falling for Kim creates massive problems. Chris is presented as a very likeable but flawed character who faces up to the consequences of his actions.
As the French/Vietnamese pimp, The Engineer, Mike Curtin is magnificent. Tall and gangly, he is all eyes and voice. He stops the show with his leading of ‘The American Dream’. His character is sleazy, corrupt, cynical and manipulative, and Curtin plays him with a comical and conniving mix of cowardice and glee.
Chris’ beautiful, apple-pie American wife Ellen, who has to face up to the consequences of what happened to Chris in Vietnam, is wonderfully played by Helen Harris. (There is a marvellous ‘Kim and Ellen’ duet in Act 2 that’s very moving.)
Chris’ stalwart friend John is terrifically played by Daley Chaston. His Act 2 opening song, ‘Bu Doi’, with a male chorus and shattering photographic images, is stirring and heartbreaking.
Thuy, the man Kim is locked into an arranged marriage with, is ominously, menacingly played by Daniel Placido.
As with Phantom of the Opera and its chandelier, and Les Miserables with its barricades, the big question with Miss Saigon is ‘How are they going to do the helicopter?’ Will it be real? CGI? I won’t spoil it, but will say that it is a very powerful coup de theatre.
Technically, the production crew were excellent. James Wallis’ lighting was terrific and Neil Shotter’s looming sets with various frames that slid in and out were marvellous.
‘The heat is on in Saigon’ – an enthralling, gripping night of musical theatre.
Rating: 4 stars out of 5
Chatswood Musical Society present
Miss Saigon
By Alain Boublil & Claude Michel Schonberg
Music: Claude Michel Schonberg
Lyrics: Richard Maltby Jnr & Alain Boublil
Additional material by Richard Maltby Jnr
Director: Anne Veitch
Musical Director: Therese Doyle
Choreographer: Kelly Goldberg
Set Design: Neil Shotter
Lighting Design: James Wallis
Cast: Veronica Alonzo, Jeremy Curtin, Mike Curtin, Daley Chaston, Daniel Placido and Helen Harris
Running Time: 2 hours 45 mins (approx) including one interval
The Concourse, Chatswood
May 4 – 12
