This production by Sheffield Theatres with its fresh interpretation of the epic, often controversial musical, Miss Saigon, is frighteningly good: every aspect thrills with excellence and its sustained magnificence from start to finish keeps the audience caught up at every moment in this onstage world, hanging upon every word and sharing every emotion.
Based closely on Puccini’s opera Madama Butterfly of 1904, Schonberg and Boublil’s 1989 musical hit transposed the tragic love story from GIs in Japan to US soldiers in Vietnam in the 1970s. Just four years after massive success with Les Miserables, Schonberg and Boublil earned more awards with Miss Saigon, but its portrayal of Asians and women has brought increasing accusations of racism and misogyny. Directed by Robert Hastie and Anthony Lau, this production tempers those concerns with thoughtful casting and a tactful retelling of the tale.
Emphasis throughout is on the emotional journeys and interactions of the characters, brought to life through sublime love, joy, hope and optimism, through confusion, chaos and disbelief, and through utmost despair, trauma, and tragedy. Mind-blowing talent pours forth non-stop from cast and creatives alike as, with unflagging energy, communal commitment and superb emotional chemistry, all come together in spine-thrilling, harmonious blend to breathe immediate credibility and depth into everything that happens onstage. Set, lighting, discreet video input, movement and music all serve this same end.
At the back of The Crucible’s thrust stage runs Ben Stones’ long expanse of what appears at first to be a wall of grey, geometric fretwork, its patterns echoed across the floor. This deceptively simple backdrop, artistically lit by Jessica Hung Han Yun to highlight its wonderful shapes and textures from various angles via strips and blocks of colour, shadow, dapples or streaking lines of electrical “interference” enhances mood and atmosphere beautifully. For Saigon, Atlanta and Detroit subtler hues mainly feature but to evoke Bangkok’s nightlife the stage is punctuated with neat neon stripes and lanterns. Costumes, too, are apt and attractive, reflecting the locations. Doorways come and go on two levels as required, upper ones accessed via the set’s main feature – a tall, versatile, very mobile stairway. Rolling to new locations, this moves action on to great effect and plays a spectacular role when a helicopter’s thundering judder and the wind from its blades fill the auditorium and a rope ladder drops down towards the desperate scramble of people on the stairs, recreating the terrifying chaos of the evacuation from Saigon’s US embassy.
Jade Hackett’s choreography of movement keeps things alive and immediate throughout – not just in spectacular, show-stoppers like American Dream (featuring costumes with elaborate, fanned tails made from giant dollar bills) or the mechanical, totalitarian movements of uniformed Communists, but at all times, as cast members, often seated around the perimeter of the stage, come and go in bustles of action. The rotating ring of the stage takes a turn in the choreography, too, while props, few and simple, smoothly integrate into the overall movement, be they giant dollar bills smeared with blood, or a multi-purpose block that’s twisted and turned to serve as a boat, tossed in storm and lightning.
At the top level – both physically and musically – the sturdy orchestra, under Musical Director, Chris Poon, lends full splendour to the rich score, echoes of Les Mis travelling from tender, emotional pathos to full-bodied heroic strains while the bending notes of Asian flutes and percussion are also in the mix. The songs lack the addictive quality of Les Mis melodies, but they’re fine numbers and all done full justice by an exceptionally talented cast. The all-round expressive acting, singing, dancing, chemistry and charisma are stunning, and every solo, duet, chorus or sparkling a capella harmony from the ensemble is performed with a heartfelt feeling that really strikes home.
Jessica Lee is outstanding as orphaned young Kim, quiet, un-spoilt, a real fish out of water as she starts work at Saigon’s brazen Dreamland dive. We believe in her story every step of the way as her vocals and feelings travel from intimate, sweet-toned, poignant tenderness to full-lunged, powerful passion. Lee’s beaming face truly radiates sunny joy, hope and optimism as she falls in love and foresees a wonderful future, but even as tragedy and despair destroy all hope she retains an inner strength and determination, boosted by boundless love for her small son, Tam (played by an amazingly patient little actor.)
Super vocals and meaningful emotion pour likewise from Christian Maynard as Kim’s lover, soldier Chris, and the two interact and duet beautifully. Strong, passionate singing also comes from Ethan Le Phong as angry, scary, harsh Thuy, Kim’s jealous fiancé, chosen for her by her parents,. He’s scarier still in uniform as the committed Communist commander who still pursues her, and even after death, as with the others who die, his existence lingers on. Chris’s American wife, Ellen, three years on, is played by Shanay Holmes, her singing and expression juggling her confused emotions admirably, while John, friend and fellow soldier of Chris, is brilliantly portrayed by Shane O’Riordan. His complex journey from rowdy, irresponsible reveller to wise, sensitive, traumatised veteran is very moving and his emotionally charged solo Bui Doi is particularly heart-rending.
Bursting with colossal talent, energy and charisma at every appearance as The Engineer is Joanna Ampil. Instead of a sleazy, grasping male running Dreamland and manipulating the girls, she’s the one in charge and with a far more nuanced character. Tough and powerful she may be but she’s also vulnerable and very human. Caught up in the same war-torn poverty trap as the rest of them, she shares their dreams of an alluring new life of peace and contentment in America, the land of the free. With big, powerful vocals and striking outfits that match her striking stage presence, Ampil creates a character everyone likes and enjoys immensely.
It doesn’t happen frequently that a tremendously special production like this comes along to thrill the joyous socks off one and all, but this is such a one. It’s nigh on impossible not to rise in standing ovation. The show continues in Sheffield until August 19th.
Eileen Caiger Gray
