Student Players on stage all this week with Miss Saigon
For the past two nights, the Mullingar Student Players enthralled audiences with Miss Saigon to a packed Mullingar Arts Centre.
This epic and very ambitious production continues until Saturday April 6 and tickets are still available for the remaining nights from the box office on 04493 47777 or from reception on the night.
This is a passionate tale of star-crossed lovers, by Claude-Michel Schönberg and Alain Boublil, with lyrics by Boublil and Richard Maltby Jnr.
It features some wonderful performances by a talented young cast; marvellous costumes and props, with outstanding and imaginative sets.
All the familiar songs are there, with some seriously complex harmonies and multi-layered oriental musical structures. The accomplished musicians complement the on-stage performances, which are immensely challenging and technically very demanding. The panic, chaos and desperation which pervaded Saigon in those last, desperate days, are very convincingly portrayed.
Daniel Egerton plays Engineer, also known as Tran van Dinh: the slightly louche, yet likeable proprietor of Dreamland, a somewhat sleazy club, patronised by the soon-to-be-evacuated American GIs. Half-Vietnamese and half-French, this opportunist is determined to secure passage for himself to America, by hook or by crook. Conor Walsh plays Christopher Scott, a Marine sergeant, about to return home.
On her first day of forced employment at the club, Kim, a seventeen-year-old orphan sensitively played by Clelia Rossi, also dreams of a future for herself away from the poverty and deprivation of the war-torn society. Chris beds the reluctant Kim, as his best friend has bought the virgin for him. The scene is set for the drama which follows…
The Players are: Engineer (Tran Van Dinh) – Daniel Egerton; Christopher Scott – Conor Walsh; Kim – Clelia Rossi; John Thomas – Billy Gilleran; Thuy – Shane Bardon; Ellen – Rachel Gallagher; Gigi van Tranh – Caoimhe McCarthy; Mimi – Kelly Kiernan; Yvette – Hazel Gavigan; Yvonne – Rachel Nugent; Lola – Sarah Corrigan; Marine Captain – Ben Thompson; Captain Schultz – Jason Wiley; Marine – Daniel Allen; Marine – Mark Brennan; Tam – Aidan Tuite.