Broadway’s 13th longest running musical has arrived in Dublin. Although Miss Saigon is, perhaps, less well known, it has undoubtedly created a buzz around town. A touring West End musical in 2017 is a delightful treat. As a musical lover and frequent visitor to London’s West End, this author was very excited to witness a top end production grace the stage closer to home.
Miss Saigon is perhaps best known as the second most successful creation of Claude-Michel Schönberg and Alain Boublil. How does one follow the mammoth success of Les Miserables, the longest running musical in the world? Miss Saigon debuted at the Theatre Royal, London in September 1989. It ran for a decade, the cast taking their final bow on October 30th, 1999. Much to the dismay of fans, theatre shows do need to take a break. Sometimes they come back just as successful, other times they fade out, lost amongst newer productions. However, the revival of Miss Saigon, a love story about a young woman from Saigon and her American GI lover, broke box-office records in 2014. A tour followed, praised by the Times as “stunning, soaring, and spectacular”.
The tickets for the tour in the Bord Gais are not cheap. The student discount is a mere five euro and not applicable on Fridays or Saturdays. I justify the money spent by comparing it to a theatre trip to London or New York, and thus happily forked out the cash.
As for the spectacle itself, I can happily vouch for the University Times in claiming that Miss Saigon was indeed stunning, soaring, and spectacular in equal measure. Kim and Chris, the protagonists, sing a number of duets (perhaps an excessive number) during the first hour of the show. The first half progresses with great gusto and feels like it is building up to something grand. One could tell the climax of the production was almost upon us. At the close for the interval, one could also tell by the buzzing throngs that fellow audience members were enjoying it just as much as I.
The set is fabulous and the production value is every bit as impressive as any West End extravaganza. The helicopter scene is particularly notable and unlike anything I have ever seen before. In terms of characterisation the engineer provided some well-appreciated comic relief to some of the more intense scenes. His escapades are praised by a chorus of laughter, an ode to his excellent showmanship. Although she plays a minor character, Zoe Doano shone in her role as Ellen. The star of the show was undoubtedly Kim’s son Cam though, who provides a stand-out performance and makes even the coldest of hearts in the Bord Gais melt.
As the show comes to a close, I feel totally enthralled in the story. Although this doesn’t happen often, it happened at Miss Saigon. The majority of the audience give a standing ovation. The revival can indeed be branded as successful. As I leave the theatre, a single question wracked my brain: What was Les Mis about again?
