The Heat is On Miss Saigon

A Broadway classic or a perpetrator of racial stereotypes? With the latest professional revival opening in Adelaide following seasons  in Sydney, and Melbourne, Nicole Smith looks at the issues surrounding Miss Saigon.

“The tension is high, not to mention the smell. The heat is on in Saigon …”

So go the lyrics of the second song of Miss Saigon, sung by a rowdy ensemble of American marines and Vietnamese officers in a sleazy bar and brothel, as they pick which girl from a 'beauty parade’ they will have that night.

But over the years, the heat on Miss Saigon itself has been particularly intense. 

Since its premiere in 1989, the musical has received numerous accolades, winning 70 major theatre awards including three Tony Awards and two Olivier Awards. It has been performed in 15 languages in at least 32 countries and 350 cities.

Yet the controversy over the casting of Miss Saigon stretches as far back as the West End hit’s proposed 1991 New York transfer, when producer Cameron Mackintosh famously threatened to pull the plug on the production just as it was set to open to a record Broadway advance box office.

While the West End casting of white actor Jonathan Pryce (wearing prostheses and a yellow face) as pimp and hustler The Engineer (a character of mixed French and Vietnamese heritage) didn’t cause a ripple in London, even earning him the Best Actor Olivier Award, a storm began brewing in America with a Trans-Atlantic transfer in the pipeline. 

With Pryce and Lea Salonga (from the Philippines) about to repeat their West End roles, thanks to their ‘star status’, US Actors' Equity ruled that making up a white man to look Vietnamese was "an affront to the Asian community", asserting that casting an Asian actor would "break the usual pattern of casting Asians in minor roles".

In the face of strong alternate opinions, even within Equity, that insisting on Asian casting of the half-French Engineer was equally discriminatory, along with Mackintosh’s threat to cancel, Equity backed down, the show went ahead and was a hit, with Pryce even adding a Tony to his Olivier Award.

Importantly, times have changed and the casting of this revival reflects the diversity we demand in 2023; however, the show continues to attract detractors on various cultural and social fronts. Miss Saigon has been criticised for perpetuating stereotypes and cultural insensitivity and promoting a narrative that has sparked heated debates. The Vietnam War, a deeply divisive chapter in American and Vietnamese history, has left profound social and cultural imprints.

“One of the biggest reasons [for the criticism] is the negative racialised stereotypes that it perpetuates, particularly about Asian women,” says Erin Wen Ai Chew, a national convener for the Asian Australian Alliance. “A lot of this stems from global conflicts such as World War II, the Korean War, and particularly for Miss Saigon, the Vietnam War,” she explains. “What Miss Saigon perpetuates is that it says that Asian women are objects – sexual objects – for American and Western men.” 

In the age of cancel culture, Miss Saigon became the target of organised boycotts in the UK in 2022, a flip from its 1989 debut. 

2019 Pulitzer Prize-winning author Viet Thanh Nguyen dissected Miss Saigon, the message it sends about West versus East and the picture it paints of Vietnamese people.

“Perhaps those of us who detest the musical would not be so upset if there were other stories about Asians or Vietnamese people that showed their diversity,” he wrote. 

Cameron Mackintosh and Opera Australia’s production will undoubtedly leave its mark as it dives into such complex issues, with the show undergoing change in recent years. 

In the new version, lyrics and dialogue have been modified or removed to address concerns about cultural sensitivity, racism and sexism that were considered offensive, or perpetuating negative stereotypes, as the musical score of Miss Saigon, composed by the duo Claude-Michel Schönberg and Alain Boublil, also faced its share of criticism.

Another significant change was in the character of The Engineer. Initially portrayed as a caricature of a sleazy stereotype, complete with prosthetics, the character has been revised to be more nuanced and less stereotypical, allowing for a more human portrayal. 

There have also been efforts to increase the representation and diversity in the cast. The show strives to include Asian actors and performers in key roles, enhancing authenticity and mitigating issues related to whitewashing.  

From the perspective of Seann Miley Moore, leading the cast as The Engineer, “This show is Asian excellence, and this cast is giving Slay-Asian pride! Miss Saigon is a story that resonates with so many of us and our families, so seeing all of us together, ready to tell this story, is really empowering. The spotlight is now on our community, and we are going to own the stage and tell our truth.” 

Inspired by Giacomo Puccini's opera Madame Butterfly (which Opera Australia is presenting in the latter part of 2023), Miss Saigon tells the story of a Vietnamese woman, Kim (Abigail Adriano), and an American GI, Chris (Nigel Huckle), with Adriano making her mainstage lead debut.

“Abi moved the whole room to tears. I knew immediately that she was extra special as I did when I first auditioned Lea Salonga, Eva Noblezada, Joanna Ampil and Emily Bautista, who were all about the same age,” Cameron Mackintosh said of her audition. 

Adriano relates, “Growing up, I would binge-watch clips of Lea Salonga as Kim. As a kid, you’re drawn to characters you can see yourself in. Kim was that role. Not only because she is Asian like me, but because, in the face of it all, she never ever backs down. Her story of survival, love and war is a scary and deep reality. I’ve grown up with close friends and family who’ve struggled through similar experiences just to be here today and I think that’s why her perseverance is so special for many people.”

Joining Moore, Adriano and Huckle is a cast of 42, including Kerrie Anne Greenland as Ellen, Nick Afoa as John, Laurence Mossman as Thuy, and Kimberley Hodgson in the role of Gigi.

Speaking about the cast, Cameron Mackintosh said, “Our brilliant Australian cast have found the true heart of the story of Miss Saigon and its contemporary resonance.”

Opera Australia reportedly went through a gruelling 6-month audition process. CEO Fiona Allan had the opportunity to sit in on several auditions. “I was blown away by the exceptionally high standard of the performers,” she said. “I knew then that we were going to end up with a remarkable cast for this new production of Miss Saigon. “What I find particularly exciting is to see this story, now told by an Australian cast, which will really showcase the depth of Asian-Australian talent we have in this country.” 

Miss Saigon certainly promises to be spectacular to watch, with its ability to transport the audience into a vividly realised world. The special effects pivotal to creating this experience promise set designs that sweep audiences into the bustling streets of Saigon, along with props and lighting effects that enhance the emotional impact of critical moments.

The Australian production includes a 4-tonne life-sized helicopter landing on stage, executed with precision and realism, further underscoring, we are assured, “the production's commitment to delivering a spectacle bringing diverse storytellers and nuanced depictions.” 

Is this new version enough to keep the controversies that have followed Miss Saigon at bay?

Photographs from the2023 Australian production by Daniel Boud.

Miss Saigon played at the Joan Sutherland Theatre, Sydney Opera House from August 17 to October 13, 2023

Her Majesty’s Theatre, Melbourne – October 29 – December 3.

Festival Theatre, Adelaide from January 2, 2024.

Click here for more about the Adelaide season