Chris will come to me like the Pheonix

***This post contains spoilers***

So I want to talk about Miss Saigon today. I saw this production last night and it was pretty brilliant. I mean some of the staging was a bit cluttered and random and there was a lot of vibrato in the singing and I like a little more colour in my sets. But then again, some of the singing blew my mind (the girls were great in their chorus high notes, and the boys choir was just fantastic, as good as any I've seen) and there was a lot of interesting things to watch in the chorus once things got going and the little boy was very cute.

But I couldn't let myself be carried away by the show. For one, there were about six people I knew in it, so instead of focusing on what's going on I was trying to watch them and find them in the scene.

And, and this is what must annoy a lot of people, I am quiet familiar with the musical. I think a combination of the two really shattered the illusion. I mean it was really great, it really was, I just didn't feel like crying my eyes out because it was hard for me to connect.

But anyway, I knew what was coming and so kept on picking up little strange things that they did. Like, Kim sang the end of 'I'd give my life for you' to her kid, which is not something you would reveal to a three year old. And the part were Tui haunts her he just stood in the middle of the stage and sang at the audience, I mean, it's not us you're trying to scare, it's her.

But I think the main thing is, I kept trying to figure out if it was more tragic to sit through the second act knowing that she's going to sacrifice herself for her son or if it's better to feel the shock of it right at the very end. I mean, she flirts with the idea for the entirity of the second half, but, does the audience think it's just an idea and try to figure out the alternatives or do they internally beg her not to do it even though they know it is inevitable?

I mean, when she does it, it's quick, she says goodbye to her son in about thrity seconds, Chris and Ellen enter the room, and it's all over. (Though this one annoyed me, they flashed Chris' gun at the audience before Kim pulled the curtain closed, how corny is that???). So you still get shock value. Which is good.

This time though, I also got the chance to think about Ellen and the Engineer. I mean the first to thirty times you listen to it/ see it, you're all about Chris and Kim and their being so in love. But Ellen loves Chris as well. And the Engineer, he's just tyring to live.

But I did realise that there are so many love songs in the first act. Like Kim and Chris have to go through the 'Oh my goodness, look how much in love we are' just to drive the point home when Kim is still in love with him three years later.

Overall. I think Miss Saigon is brilliant, the lyrics are fantastic and the music just kills me. And I know it's easy to critisise not so easy to do. But we pick apart only things we love most.

Until next time,
Katherine.