My issue with Miss Saigon

[EricMontreal22]

Posted: 6/5/14 at 6:01pm

I think Shonberg, Boubil and Maltby Jr. had a tough role in trying to update Madama Butterfly to Vietnam. I just wonder why they made such a plot point of Kim still being a virgin, and Chris being her first john. It completely dilutes the whole political point they are trying to point.

[Gothampc]

Posted: 6/5/14 at 6:33pm

To establish that the child belongs to Chris?

[henrikegerman]

Posted: 6/5/14 at 7:14pm

I have no problem with Kim's virginity. It makes her more like Ciocio-san in youth and lovesick vulnerability and seems perfectly resonant with the conflict at the core of the story.
in terms of the libretto diluting that potential, it's Chris - in stark contrast to Pinkerton! - not being a selfish pig that is problematic.

In other words, Long, Belasco, Puccini, Ilica and Giacosa were much more provocatively audacious (and, it might well be argued, honest!) in their depiction of ugly American exploitation through tragic romance than Boubil, Schonberg and Maltby were close to ninety years later.

In Miss Saigon, unlike Madama Butterfly, it's Americans who are the good guys and Asian (in the engineer's case, Eurasian) men who are the villains, creeps and pimps.





Updated On: 6/5/14 at 07:14 PM

[CurtainPullDowner]

Posted: 6/5/14 at 8:16pm

It makes more sense for a virgin whore to fall in love with her john than a seasoned one.

[hundredsofhats]

Posted: 6/5/14 at 9:44pm

: (

I don't think it's about what Kim's ctions. Things happen to her, anyways. It's probably her about being pure and desirable, and thus 'good'.