Simple Story Is Given Universal Appeal Talent Rates High In Seattle Production Of ‘Miss Saigon’

“Miss Saigon,” Through May 28, Seattle; call (206) 292-ARTS

I guess “Les Miserables” was no fluke.

“Les Miz,” by the French team of Alain Boublil and Claude-Michel Schonberg, is one of my favorites of all time. Now, after seeing “Miss Saigon,” their second collaboration, I’m beginning to detect a pattern.

These guys have a knack for telling a story simply and making it seem universal.

And presenting it in the grandest possible fashion. The Seattle production, which is the premiere of “Miss Saigon’s” second national touring company, is absolutely stunning to the eyes and ears. There are helicopters landing on stage, teeming Bangkok street scenes and hilarious dream sequences involving autos that float down from the sky.

But that’s not what I enjoyed the most about “Miss Saigon.” What I enjoyed the most was the simplicity and inspiration of the story-telling.

The plot (based loosely on “Madama Butterfly”) is direct and straight to the heart: An American GI falls in love with a Saigon bar-girl. He promises to marry her and take her home. But then Saigon collapses to the Viet Cong, and in the chaos of the evacuation, he loses her. She waits for him, dreams of him and bears his baby. Three years later, he comes back and finds her. But … he is now married to an American woman. All three members of this triangle have tragic choices to make.

I won’t give the ending away, but I found that the story had resonance far beyond the plight of these individual characters. It was about the tragedy of Amerasian children in Vietnam. It was about the amazing persistence of human love. Most of all, it was about how human lives can be torn apart by historical forces beyond their control. If only Saigon hadn’t collapsed right at the moment when Chris and Kim fell in love …

After sitting through confused messes like “Evita,” this show was revelatory. Not only is “Miss Saigon” far easier to understand, but it has more universal meaning.

The Seattle production, which already has been extended two weeks due to huge demand, boasts one tour-de-force performance. Thom Sesma completely dominates the stage as the half-French, half-Vietnamese pimp named, somewhat oddly, The Engineer. He cavorts through this show with a sly grin, a sarcastic tongue and a sharp intelligence. His number “The American Dream” was one of the show’s best.

Matt Bogart as Chris and Deedee Lynn Magno as Kim were also strong, if somewhat less dominating. Magno, who I recognized from her days in the “New Mickey Mouse Club,” was powerful in this demanding role. Her voice is not overpowering, but it didn’t need to be with the Paramount’s fine sound system.

Bogart is the big, handsome boy next door and a marvelous singer.

There is one more star in this production: the remodeled Paramount Theatre. This is the first production after a multimillion-dollar remodeling project for this grand old 1928 building. I overheard someone say they were finding it hard to concentrate on the show, because they kept looking up at the magnificent theater.