Sometimes you just get lucky.
I was dining with a senior executive at Solaire Resort Entertainment City on Saturday night and the subject of Miss Saigon, which has been playing at Solaire since 23 March this year, came up. “It’s fantastic,” he said, “you must see it.”
And so it was, that some 14 hours later I settled into the very comfortable seat 29 in row L of the main level of the expansive Solaire Theatre, full of anticipation and wondering if the show would live up to the hype.
I can assure you, it did. I was lucky enough to have watched the 1995 production of Miss Saigon in Sydney, which was simply amazing. I can confidently say that this Manila production is just as good – if not better.
The cast is absolutely flawless in their performance, belting out all 39 numbers in the two acts with such immaculate precision that you would expect no more in London’s West End or Broadway in New York.
The Producers, GMG Productions, are to be congratulated on putting together a superb show and cast, including Abigail Adriano as Kim, whose performance is mature way beyond her tender 19 years; Seann Miley Moore as The Engineer, who delights the audience with his whimsical portrayal; and the Australian-born American Nigel Huckle as Chris Scott, Kim’s love interest.
They are ably supported by Sarah Morrison as Chris’ wife Ellen Scott, Lewis Francis as his friend John Thomas and Laurence Mossman as the jilted Thuy. They are all superb, as is the female and male supporting ensemble. This chain really has no weak link.
I won’t spoil it for you, but there are a couple of highlights worth noting: the show absolutely nails the iconic chopper scene, and Moore’s performance in “The American Dream” towards the end of Act Two is simply superb.
Set against the backdrop of the Vietnam war and its aftermath, the plot for Miss Saigon is so well-known that I won’t repeat it here, other than to note it was based on the opera Madam Butterfly, which first played in 1904 in Italy. Both tell the story of very young Asian woman who fall in love with American military men who ultimately betray them.
Miss Saigon runs until Sunday 12 May 2024, at 8pm weekdays (dark Mondays), 2pm and 7:30pm Saturdays, and 1pm and 6pm Sundays. Tickets are selling fast, with weekend tickets already sold out for the rest of April, except for the 6pm show on Sunday 28 April.
If you possibly can, go see it. You won’t regret it.
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