The story begins in 1975, backstage of a bar called Dreamland. The dancers are getting ready to go on stage. This is where we meet Kim. She looks lost and does not fit in with the other girls. They go on stage and sing their songs trying to "get a buyer", and when Kim sings her song we are touched by her tenderness. She sings that it is her first day in the bar and she isn't like the other girls. We also learn that she is seventeen. Chris, a young GI in the war, is struck by her and his friend John, who is also a GI, decides to "buy" Kim for Chris.
At first Chris is confused, wondering why he feels such love for Kim. Later he succumbs to his confusion and the two fall in love. For the next few days they are inseparable. They get married and Chris promises to take Kim back to America with him when he leaves. We learn that both Kim's parents died in the war and she came to be a prostitute to make money and support herself. Just as things were starting to look up for Kim and Chris a twist in the story occurs. It seems that Kim was promised to marry a man named Thuy. Thuy has heard that Kim was married to another man and he was not at all happy with the news. He bursts into the room threatening to kill Chris but Chris chases him away.
The story jumps ahead three years and we are left in the dark about what happened between Kim, Chris and Thuy. Over the past years Thuy has "convinced" (think Do it or Die) the engineer to find Kim and lead Thuy to her. He goes and is almost shot when Kim again refuses to marry Thuy. It is now that we see Kim is with out Chris, But we also learn she has a son. Thuy is greatly angered by this and tries to kill the boy, but Kim in protection of her son, shoots Thuy. She then goes to find the engineer for help. He helps for his own gain, seeing as how Kim's child is American; he can finally fulfill his dream of moving to America. All three travel to Bangkok to start their journey to the USA.
It is now that we learn what has happened to Chris after the 3 years. We see he is married now to a woman named Ellen; however he still worries about Kim and has nightmares. Chris never told Ellen about Kim, but Ellen suspects something is not right in Chris' life. Chris and John are still friends and both are looking for Kim to make sure she is alright. At a function John is speaking at he tells Chris that he has found Kim and that He and Ellen, as well as himself should go to Bangkok to find her. When they get there John goes to find Kim and leaves Chris and Ellen at the hotel. When John finds Kim he tells her that Chris is in Bangkok. He was also to tell her about Ellen but Kim's too emotional and does not listen. When John leaves Kim follows him and finds the room where the Americans are staying. Later when John and Chris are out looking for Kim she goes to the hotel and meets Ellen. Kim, looking out for the best interests of her son tries to sell him to her.
After Kim leaves she is very emotional and we learn through her flash backs of what happened to separate her and Chris. She remembers the story of the night Chris left for America from the American governmental centre. Chris was inside trying to get out to find Kim and take her with him. The other GI's would not let him out. Kim was outside trying to get inside with no luck. The crowd around the building knew that they all had one shot to get inside and if they let her inside there would be one less for all of them. Desperately they struggle and neither side won. Chris flew back to America where he started his life again with Ellen. Kim was not so lucky. She has never forgotten that day.
At the same time, Chris and John return to the hotel where they learn that Kim had been there. Ellen, thinking Chris still loves Kim, challenges him to choose. At this time we hear in Chris' own words what happened to him after he came back to America. How he had to start over and that he loves her now. The three of them go to find Kim who is now at home. Kim, now desperate to help her son know what its like to have love from a father, is set on killing herself. She sits alone with her son and tells him that she is leaving but she will always be near. As she hears footsteps she pulls the trigger of the gun. Chris, followed buy John, Ellen and The engineer rush into the room. All shocked, the room becomes silent, except for the sound of Chris sobbing and asking why Kim did it. The set goes dark as Kim dies.
The acting skills of the actors in the production where superb. I especially enjoyed the scenes that included “The Engineer” because he was extremely funny and his gestures really pulled off the part. The woman who played Kim was exceptional, the emotion and feeling she put into her acting was phenomenal and was very convincing.
I would recommend this show to anyone, although it is not suitable for a young audience. Your heart would be gripped by the sorrow the characters are feeling, your senses would be ensnared by the excellent on stage graphics, set, lighting, and most of all the power put into each song and the heartfelt lyrics. If you have time and some spare cash, I would really urge you to make the effort to go and see this “Madame Butterfly” type theatrical set in Saigon.
