The opportunity to see a brand new production of one of the most iconic and greatest musicals of the modern era is something I simply could not pass up, even if the journey across the Pennines is not the fastest or easiest. 'Miss Saigon'; written by Alain Boublil and Claude-Michel Schoenberg is a musical loosely based on Puccini's 'Madama Butterfly', and sparked by the chance viewing of a photograph of an Asian lady leaving her baby at the US air base so that he will have a better life, is an emotional rollercoaster of a show, and includes many of the Musical Theatre world's favoured songs.
This is a bold, brave, and substantially changed production which is currently being performed on the thrust stage of Sheffield's Crucible Theatre; and Sheffield Theatres deserve much credit and approbation for bringing this to the regional stage. A stunning achievement and exactly the sort of thing that regional powerhouses such as Sheffield should be commissioning and producing. However, that being said, for hardcore fans of the show, they will be in for a few surprises. First of all is the fact that this is a reworking of the Broadway version of the musical and not, as one would have expected, the West End show. Therefore, this version will be even further from the show's iconic original for those unfamiliar with the US / Broadway production.
'Miss Saigon' (in its simplest form) tells the story of a young US Marine Chris (Christian Maynard - pictured above), sent over to Vietnam in 1975, who falls in love with a young Vietnamese girl, Kim (Jessica Lee - also above). Three years' later when Chris is back in America, we learn that Kim has had Chris's son, and along with a desperate pimp known as The Engineer, try to buy passage to the States via Bangkok. In the meantime however, Chris has married an American, Ellen, and tries to forget his former life in Vietnam.
The staging of this musical had to be different from the original, that much was clear. We are on a thrust stage (audience on three sides), and no wings etc. This design (Ben Stones) was grey, metallic and dystopian. A large floor-to-ceiling wall dividing the thrust from the rear of the stage had been erected. This resembled a computer circuit / mother board more than anything, and opened up with doors on two levels; the higher level accessible by a single moveable set of metal ladders. Benches were set around the perimeter of the remaining arc upon which the cast sat, Brechtian style, watching and waiting for their entrances. The dystopian feel was further advanced by a small black and white TV placed in the centre of the stage, and computer generated graphics projected on the rear wall. The TV set moved as the show started, but the graphics were a huge and integral part of the show, which, at times were so obfuscating and fast-moving, that they distracted and detracted rather than added.
The lighting design (Jessica Hung Han Yun) was creative and interesting, utilising the central revolve to great effect. Sound levels were superb. A live orchestra, visible through the gaps in the wall, on the upper level, under the direction of Chris Poon, sounded superb the whole evening, and levels between singer and musicians were perfect.
In a complete makeover from convention, playing the leading and pivotal role of The Engineer was a gutsy, feisty, conniving, tattooed female (Joanna Ampil), whilst Jessica Lee's Kim was given a more gritty and mature characterisation. Chris and his best friend, John, were both given gravitas and heart by Christian Maynard and Shane O'Riordan respectively. Thuy (Ethan Le Phong) was earnest, determined and single-minded. The non-speaking role of three-year old Tam is split between four youngsters (Anaya Awoko-Bennett, Ikayan-Ray Mulomo, Deacon Pinder, and Hirak Singla). Chris's wife, Ellen was performed with sincerity and humanity by Shannay Holmes, and this evening, for me at least, the best song in the show was her duet with Kim, 'I Still Believe'.
Of course, as will always be the case when a new production of a considered masterpiece comes along, there will be changes which work better and are commendable, whilst others work less well and one wonders why they were changed or done in that particular way. However we are now straying into subjective territory, which should not be a part of a review. So, no matter what one's personal thoughts are, this is a stunning, perfectly crafted, intelligent, emotive, and entertaining piece of musical theatre which fully deserves its place amongst Sheffield Theatres' highest accolades.
Reviewer - Matthew Dougall
on - 13.7.23
on - 13.7.23
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