INTERVIEW: Miss Saigon director Jean Pierre Van Der Spuy

There's still a chance to see Miss Saigon which is on at the Birmingham Hippodrome until 23rd September. Based on Puccini’s Madame Butterfly, musical Miss Saigon is an epic love story set in the Vietnma War that tells the tragic tale of young bar girl Kim, orphaned by war, who falls in love with American GI Chris — but their lives are torn apart by the fall of Saigon. As the legendary musical comes to the Birmingham Hippodrome for a nine-week run, director Jean Pierre Van Der Spuy, left, talks to Gill Sutherland.

Miss Saigon had its London premiere in 1989, and this touring production is based on the 2014 revival at the Prince Edward Theatre. What’s the vibe like of this current incarnation?

“We’ve got quite a young cast and everyone is very excited, there’s been a brilliant atmosphere in tech and rehearsal. For some people this is their first job — so there’s no feeling of complacency or ‘been there done that’ attitude. As the director what I’ve been trying to do is really harness that vitality from the company; the show requires a huge amount of energy and commitment and so far I feel like we are in a very good place. It’s going to be a cracking good show!”

Tell us about your background and how you started in the theatre?

“I lived in South Africa until 18. My mother is English and I came over here to train at drama school and realised I wanted to direct. It was never actually my intention to stay in the UK — I love South Africa and I grew up on an amazing diet of politics there which really shaped the way that I view things. But I ended up staying here, where I now have a family and so it is my home.”

When did you get involved in Miss Saigon?

“I have a long history with the show. I was an actor, and it’s actually the last show that I performed in. But I was only in it for six months — I started trying to make the transition to directing before I actually joined the company; so I was at the right place at the right time. I became resident director back in 2004. Then I went on to do other things and then when it came back to the Prince Edward in 2014 I got back on board as I had a good relationship with director Laurence Connor.

So now I am directing with Laurence’s vision but for the tour it’s got a lot of me in it as well. You can’t make a carbon copy of the show because all the people are so different and also politically the world changes.”

How relevant can you make it given that it’s set in the Vietnam War in the 1970s?

“Well it’s completely relevant. In many ways it’s good it’s a period piece as it doesn’t feel too heavily didactic. However, seeing the ramifications of war — which is what Miss Saigon is about — and how the effects are so far-reaching, I hope audience members come

away thinking about what happens when you go into conflict. It’s important that when politicians make these decisions to go to war or become involved in conflicts that they have in mind the people it affects — we should be careful about the choices we make and shouldn’t just hurtle into these things unnecessarily. I’m not a pacifist but it seems to me that politicians are a bit glib about these big decisions.”

Miss Saigon is one of the most successful musicals in history, is it daunting directing it, taking on that huge responsibility?

“A lot of people have a huge amount of affection for the show so you feel very responsible to the fans — you want to make sure they feel satisfied and are being cared for. There’s also the epic scale of it; I have to ensure that the technical aspects are in harmony with the actors. So I feel the responsibility of getting it right, but it’s a gift to take on the show and a delight to work on.”

Incredibly over six million people have seen Miss Saigon – what is the x factor that makes it so compelling after all these years?

“The obvious thing would be the big sequences. The helicopter scene for example when they are evacuating the embassy — but actually I think what people really connect with is that at its heart it’s a very simple love story and it’s about how love can really change one’s life. It’s also the story of motherhood; it’s a very powerful homage to what mothers are prepared to sacrifice for their children — and that is such an eternal idea that everybody understands.”

Obviously there are some terrific songs in the show, which are your favourites?

“There’s a tiny little piece of music at the end of the hotel scene in Act 2, when Kim sings a song to Chris, and she sings ‘I still taste your kisses, your voice sings in my ear, you can betray what we were yesterday, but you’ll come back tonight for him’ — she’s talking about their son Tan — and that moment always kills me. It’s just beautifully written. I love Sun and Moon — it’s a beautiful duet, and I remember being on a beach as a teenager talking to a girl, learning all about each other. Everyone remembers young love and I think Sun and Moon really captures that time of discovery and I think that’s really rather romantic — that’s the softie in me!”

When and where: Miss Saigon is on at the Birmingham Hippodrome until 23rd September. Tickets from £30, and concessions available. Find out more at www.birminghamhippodrome.com or call 0844 338 5000.