Review: 'Miss Saigon,' minus the helicopter, is still big
5:59 PM 10/16/02
Tom Alesia Wisconsin State Journal

Featuring a doomed love story meant to extract tears as relentlessly as a raw onion, "Miss Saigon" survives - and thrives - despite practically nudging theater, at times, into the realm of a rollercoaster ride.

Everything associated with "Miss Saigon" is big. Big, big, big, big. The sets, of course. The cast, too. Even the ballads, many beautifully performed, are grandiose.

Planted at the Civic Center for an eight-show run through Sunday, this well-done production of "Miss Saigon" comes to Madison 11 years after landing on Broadway like the world's biggest parade float. We're getting a slightly scaled-down model here, although that shouldn't be an excuse to skip the show.

For example, "Miss Saigon's" notable helicopter scene, with a replica appearing on stage, is redone here with an effective video. The strobe lights could be toned down, but the scene's powerful desperation remains.

Deftly covering two time periods - Saigon in April 1975 and, three years later, in the former Saigon and Bangkok - "Miss Saigon" presents a heart-of-gold marine Chris who falls in love with Kim, a 17-year-old virgin, during her first night of work at a whore house. It's practically love at first sight for Chris, who begrudgingly joined a friend at the seedy locale. The stars, Alan Gillespie and Jennifer Hubilla, are adequate actors but better singers.

Of course, this pairing strains credulity as the fall of Saigon looms, but "Miss Saigon" gives Chris and Kim several fine songs ("Why God Why?", "Sun and Moon" and "The Last Night of the World") to establish their relationship. There's a warm wedding and, in a rare moment of restraint, the stage is empty as Chris carries Kim away. That latter scene provides as much power as any prop needing its own truck.

Act Two begins in 1978 in the United States. A male chorus delivers a respectful song about the Bui-Doi, the Vietnamese children American military fathered and left behind. While they sing, photos of actual Bui-Doi are shown to appropriate dramatic effect.

Chris, now married to an American, learns that Kim lived through the carnage of Saigon - and that Kim gave birth to his child.

The plot follows "Madama Butterfly" to such an extent that royalties should be paid to someone, somewhere. Despite no hopeful signs, a blindly determined Kim waits for Chris' return. When he does appear in Bangkok, she meets Chris' new wife and "Miss Saigon" spirals to its inevitable end.

Lending substantial flamboyance and zip to "Miss Saigon" is the character called The Engineer, a crafty pimp. He offers humor to a role that links several stories together. Played with delicious flair by Jon Jon Briones, The Engineer also has one of the best songs, "The American Dream," to perform. Briones, who appeared in the show's London premiere in 1989 in a small role, delivers the song with finesse.

At two-hours-and-40-minutes, "Miss Saigon" moves along at a brisk pace with a top-notch sound system in place throughout the Civic Center.

Yes, it's big. It's also very good.

Seats remain for all performances. Tickets cost $49.50, $44.50 and $34.50 for shows at 7:30 tonight and 7:30 p.m. Sunday. Tickets cost $54.50, $49.50 and $39.50 for shows at 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. To purchase tickets, contact the Civic Center box office at 258-4141.