Alain
Boublil and Claude-Michel
Schonberg's wildly successful
1989 sophomore effort,"Miss Saigon" is hitting the regional circuit, and this
production under the direction of David Bennett at Seattle's 5th Avenue Theatre clearly demonstrates why the show, one of the
most successful in Broadway history, still has the legs to carry it further
into the new millenium
Although
Papermill Playhouse resident scenic designer Michael Anania gives us a decidedly stripped down rendition of
the physical production, sans some of the more garishly spectacular special
effects, this production feels right at home amidst the 5th Ave's lavish,
lovingly restored 1920's era Chinese "Imperial City" dÈcor, and
Anania blends elements of the motif into his spare design, creating a
delightfully unique merging of the two worlds. Bennett, likewise offers up a mÈlange
of both national and local talent to create an evening of musical magic, that,
while perhaps not quite measuring up to the level of sheer spectacle presented
in the original Broadway run and National Tour, nevertheless well serves Alain,
Boublil and lyricist Richard Maltby, Jr.'s modern retelling of the classic Puccini opera, "Madame
Butterfly".
It's difficult
not to note the numerous similarities between "Butterfly" and
"Miss Saigon", as the two share the same storyline, and most of the
major characters are cut from essentially the same cloth. But, whereas the
former work views the story of an American soldier falling in love with, then
abandoning an innocent oriental girl with a sort of mocking condescension, the
latter doesn't shy away from dealing with the darker themes and issues dredged
up from our nation's still very painful experiences during the Viet Nam war,
not to mention the equally troublesome legacy of French colonialism which was
its inheritance. But, what distinguishes "Miss Saigon", and where it
shares perhaps its greatest similarity with the venerable, if culturally myopic
predecessor is in its rich, operatic score. There is very little in the way of
spoken dialogue; in fact, literally only a dozen words escape musical
accompaniment, and these brief recicitivas are used sparingly for highly dramatic effect. Also, unlike
traditional book musicals, "Miss Saigon" isn't the kind of work that
prompts audiences to trip lightly out of the theatre with memorable show tunes
rolling off the tongue. But, the combination of Boblil and Schonberg's densely
textured score and Maltby's evocative lyrics leave haunting impressions that
linger like ghosts long after the last refrains have faded away.
With a score
this demanding it's essential that the performers are up to task, and in this
regard Bennett has assembled a cast of Broadway and "Miss Saigon"
veterans, who mixed with a bevy of local musical theatre standouts in
supporting roles show they are capable of tackling the complex score. Local Louis
Hobson turns in some of his best
work to-date as the conflicted U.S. GI Chris, although he still exhibits
occasional difficulty with his upper register, most notably in the finale of
the emotionally climactic "the confrontation". Regardless, the role
allows Hobson to demonstrate his strong acting chops, and he makes the perfect
counterpart to Emy Baysic as
Kim, the naÔve country girl thrust into the nightmarish world of Saigon's and
later Bangkok's notorious red light districts. Together the two soar on their
duets, particularly the romantic Act I "Sun and Moon" and "The
Last Night of the World", and Baysic lets loose a simply glorious soprano
on the touching, "I Still Believe" and "I'd Give My Life For
You".
No production
of "Miss Saigon" could be complete without a cheeky, gleefully greedy
Engineer, and this production has one in the guise of Raul Aranas' poncey, but somehow still likeable
"fixer". Although exuding less of the snake-oil charm of say,
Jonathan Pryce's memorable characterization, Aranas grounds his performance in
a delicious avarice that, while certainly reprehensible at a certain level, is
nonetheless equally understandable. He may be a two-bit hustler, with more
ambition than ability, but Aranas completely convinces us of his character's
ability to survive just about any challenge thrown at him, whether its pumping
up his dingy club, "Dreamland" to passing GI's, extricating himself
from a Vietnamese "reeducation camp", or finally securing his coveted
ticket to "the American Dream", which in this rendition dispenses
with the animatronic gimmicks, and substitutes instead a score of singing,
dancing, Elvis and Marilyn Monroe impersonators in a sly, ironic commentary on
American materialism and affluence that curiously seems to go right over most
of the heads of the 5th Avenue's typically upper-middle-class audience. In a
way, it's a sort of backhanded compliment to Aranas' ability to sell this, as
well as his other featured number, "If You Want To Die In Bed".
Also turning
in good work in secondary roles are long-time "Saigon" gypsy Kingsley
Leggs as John, Chris' GI buddy,
and later advocate for the near forgotten "Bui-Doi", the offspring of
American soldiers disenfranchised by the Communist government. Also noteworthy
is local performer Brandon O'Neill
at Thuy, Kim's promised fiancÈ, and Candice Donehoo in the featured role of Ellen, Chris' American
wife.
Despite the
comparatively bare-bones nature of this production, there are a few elements
that simply can't be dispensed with so easily: yes, the infamous helicopter
makes it's brief appearance during the "Kim's Nightmare" scene in Act
II, but the effect seems almost perfunctory, given the production's adherence
to minimalism up to that point. In some ways the absence of spectacle has a
salutary effect, in that it places much more emphasis on the story, and the
emotional lives of the characters. Without the expectation of visual eye-candy,
the audience is more readily caught up in the plight of Kim, Chris and Ellen,
although one can't help but feel the disturbingly abrupt ending, although not
unexpected, needs somewhat more of a dÈnouement than is allowed.
Without a
doubt, "Miss Saigon" is going to become a regional theatre staple,
and with this production, the 5th Avenue once again finds itself in the
enviable position of setting a high bar for future productions to surpass.