MISS SAIGON
Review by Shanna Provost
It’s amazing what can happen when three Canberra theatre companies decide to join forces!
PhoenixPlayers and Supa Productions in association with papermoon have managed to successfully pull off one of musical theatre’s most popular and difficult productions with their Miss Saigon, now playing at the ANU Arts Centre.
Miss Saigon has won 30 major theatre awards and it is easy to understand why. That we can see a quality production at a very affordable price right here in Canberra is something to be grateful for.
The story is relatively simple: a lovestruck Vietnamese girl gets left behind by an American GI at the end of the Vietnam War—but the undercurrent of love lost; dreams of escaping to the American Dream unmet; desperate acts for survival and the devastating long-term consequences of brief war-time romances weave intricately through this play to leave a lasting impression.
The leads are outstanding! Apart from everything else, they sing non-stop for over 2 hours! Their vocal stamina alone is impressive.
But it is the absolute beauty, commitment to her role and soulful voice of Jacinta Le that steals the show. Just 17 years old and a relative newcomer to musical theatre, Le has done her Vietnamese heritage proud in her measured and consistent portrayal of a young woman in love who evolves into a protective mother willing to do anything to ensure her son’s future.
She is ably supported by Grant Pegg, whose vocal eloquence and strength create spine-tingling moments throughout. Dean Salonga’s ‘Engineer’ is so authentic it’s difficult to like the manipulative character who uses women to further his personal dreams.
Other strong performances from Sean Ladlow, Simon Stone, Claire Watson and Mariam Grey – and young Ryan Tolich upstaged the leads in all of his scenes.
The chorus works hard, and will strengthen over the production; the set is simple and works well. Sound HAS to be mentioned this time around – the waves of helicopter rotors that seemingly cross the auditorium even before the show begins sets the mood immediately.
All the elements of the famous ‘helicopter scene’ made it a magical moment in theatre, creating an authenticity that brought home that terrible moment in history when troops pulled out of Vietnam, leaving those who had relied on them and befriended them to fend for themselves. That scene was haunting and very well directed.
The Canberra Asian community must be so proud to see such a strong representation in a story that can only help us to understand the ripple effects of the Vietnam War.
Congratulations to everyone involved—from Kelda McManus, Andrea Clifford, Amy Fitzpatrick and Garrick Smith right down to the three young people who play Tam. You have certainly gone out of 2009 with a very big bang!
WHAT: MISS SAIGON
WHERE: ANU ARTS CENTRE
WHEN: 12TH – 28TH NOVEMBER 2009
TICKETS: 6257 1950 or at www.canberrarep.org.au
Dinner & Show package: Teatro Vivaldi on 6257 2718.
