Which do you prefer - Miss Saigon or Les Miserables?- Page 2

[SporkGoddess]

Posted: 6/28/07 at 12:14am

The love story was meant to be love at first sight, but if you want to rationalize it: Chris loved Kim because she was the first innocent thing he'd ever seen in Vietnam, and because like many American boys he had a "damsel in distress" complex. Kim loved Chris because he represented her way out of Vietnam.

You have to think about it through Chris's eyes; he tried to find Kim and couldn't, and it's also understandable why he never told Ellen about her. As for Ellen, she isn't meant to be a villain. No one's meant to be a villain, not even Thuy.

Btw, if you think Chris is bad, check out his "predecessor," Benjamin Pinkerton.

Updated On: 6/28/07 at 12:14 AM

[chino]

Posted: 6/28/07 at 12:23am

Les Mis, hands down.

[jewishboy]

Posted: 6/28/07 at 12:23am

There is something about Les Miz that leaves me in awe, but I definitely prefer Miss Saigon. I completely agree on all accounts with what bjh2114 says about Miss Saigon, although I strongly disagree about Ms. Ruffelle (but that is another topic). I think Miss Saigon is a better show because the score for Miss Saigon is more original/creative than the one for Les Miz. And especially a lot less repetitive!

[bjh2114]

Posted: 6/28/07 at 12:25am

Thanks jewishboy. Yah, my thing with Frances Rufelle is definitely a personal distaste. She isn't a bad performer, there is just something about her voice that erks me. But yah, I didn't even think to comment on the heavy repetition that takes place in Les Miz.

[theactorsociety]

Posted: 6/28/07 at 12:39am

Miss Saigon takes you more into the story because you automatically care more for a female lead because she is more vulnerable. I like the music better in general and I don't get bored.

[Marianne]

Posted: 6/28/07 at 12:43am

Oookay, I suppose Les Mis has nothing to do with France or the French Revolution, since that's just when it happens to take place.

I don't want to have to be the first to say this, but...

1832!=1789.

[SporkGoddess]

Posted: 6/28/07 at 12:50am

True, but a lot of people do count the Napoleonic Wars as the French Revolution. Plus, Valjean was arrested in the 1790's.

The Student Rebellion though is definitely NOT the French Revolution.

[ThankstoPhantom]

Posted: 6/28/07 at 12:59am

When I saw Miss Saigon, I cried from the final scene and well into half an hour after it ended. I was so deeply moved by what I had seen on stage, and regret only seeing it at the end of its heyday.

Both shows are very powerful. I love Les Miserables, however, Miss Saigon is a bit more coherent, and would be the better show in my book, however not necessarily by a landslide.

[jmponstage]

Posted: 6/28/07 at 1:09am

Miss Saigon is a much better show. The characters acutally have more than one layer. They are realistic people with flaws. Les Mis is pretty one dimensional throughout. And I have to disagree with whoever said that the engineer should be played by an asian. i believe it should always be played by a white man. the engineer is eurasian, not asian. since theatre is a visual art, it is easier to associate that he is a halfbreed if he does not look totally asian. it really adds a lot to the story as well becuase tam is also eurasian, this gives the engineer a different connection with him. it makes his line "this kid is okay" mean much more. and as far as thuy, the role is so vocal specific, i just want to hear someone who can sing it. to be honest most of the asian men i have seen it have been cast because they are asian and have butchered the high notes.

[philmck]

Posted: 6/28/07 at 1:14am

Yow, MS improves on Puccini????? I'm thinking not... Butterfly always leaves me weeping. I can't remember much about Saigon, except not liking it at all.
Oh, and I love Les Mis, which was a huge surprise to me, since I was pretty resistant to it the first time I went, and had cr*ppy (but free) seats.

[musicaltheater1]

Posted: 6/28/07 at 1:24am

bump...(sorry, network problems)

Updated On: 6/28/07 at 01:24 AM

[musicaltheater1]

Posted: 6/28/07 at 1:25am

bump...

Updated On: 6/28/07 at 01:25 AM

[musicaltheater1]

Posted: 6/28/07 at 1:25am

I prefer Miss Saigon over Les Miserables. I felt the overall staging of the production was amazing, the songs were beautiful (despite some of the lyrics), and the impact to the audience was stronger. I like the quick shift of the story to the present and presenting the events of the separation of the couple through Kim's nightmare. The scenes were more emotional - the threat of hurting the child, Kim's ultimate sacrifice, and my favorite scene was Kim's reprisal of "Sun and Moon" singing the love song she once shared with her lover, but unaware that he was already married.

[SporkGoddess]

Posted: 6/28/07 at 1:29am

philmck: Story-wise, not music-wise.

jmponstage: It doesn't make sense for the Engineer to look white, or else he wouldn't be accepted in Vietnamese society.

[jmponstage]

Posted: 6/28/07 at 1:32am

If you listen to the lyrics, once he gets to Bankok, he is mocked for being a "half breed" by the pimp he then works for. boubil and schonberg also pointed this out during the controversy of bringing pryce to america.

[SporkGoddess]

Posted: 6/28/07 at 1:33am

Whoa, how did I never notice that? Interesting.

[jmponstage]

Posted: 6/28/07 at 1:57am

yeah, i'm not sure if it's on the recordings. but it is definatey in the score. it is literally one of five scripted lines in the show. it's right before he says "screw the siamese."

[sing_dance_love]

Posted: 6/28/07 at 2:25am

Wow, thats hard, I've been in both of these shows...

I guess Saigon because its ultimately so heartbreaking it really stays with you.

Though I find both shows quite beautiful.

[HeyMrMusic]

Posted: 6/28/07 at 2:56am

Miss Saigon. If only because it brought Lea Salonga into stardom.
But I did see Miss Saigon and Les Miz back to back. I saw Les Miz the night after seeing Miss Saigon and remember not being as moved by it. The characters are much better written in Miss Saigon. It's a much more creative show overall in terms of writing and melodies. No repetitiveness in Miss Saigon.

~Steven

[HeyMrMusic]

Posted: 6/28/07 at 2:58am

Double post. Deal with it.

~Steven
Updated On: 6/28/07 at 02:58 AM

[splendoris]

Posted: 6/28/07 at 4:21am

I really like Miss Saigon but I love Les Mis

[ragtimefan]

Posted: 6/28/07 at 4:42am

Miss Saigon is one of my all time favorite shows... I don't understand why so many people really resent the european shows of the 80's/90's

[eatlasagna]

Posted: 6/28/07 at 5:08am

i've said this before... but if you have two actors who are REALLY REALLY good and very passionate, then their immediate falling in love is heartwrenching... i've seen a kim and chris that looked like they hated kissing each other... totally made the musical crappy...

that being said... i love me some miss saigon!

[justafan2]

Posted: 6/28/07 at 8:46am

For me, it's a no-brainer---LES MIZ! The music! Les Miz has the most beautiful score (IMO) and Miss S. was just boring, musically. I haven't seen the new Les Miz and I know the orchestra has been pared down but I would still prefer it to MS.

[...5678]

Posted: 6/28/07 at 9:02am

Les Miz HANDS DOWN! I was actually bored during Miss Saigon...it has a few songs that I like but that's about it. The music in Les Miz makes me sob everytime I see it.