2024 - 006 Musing | Went to See Miss Saigon
“History burst into seemingly ordinary lives.” — Luc Boltanski
Last Sunday, I went to the theater and saw Miss Saigon with friends at Marina Bay Sands. My ticket was free. A friend was not able to attend and thoguht to offered it to me. I rarely see theater performance. Well, I barely go to museums exhibitions, and I’ve never been to a live poetry reading. I’m pop music concert virgin. My first orchestra happened when I was already forty years old. But still like to think I’m into arts. Oh the irony.
I had so much fun. I’m very grateful that performance art exists. I’m glad art exists. For the past months I’ve been consuming self-development and entrepreneurship books a lot because job sucks and corporate slavery sucks. Miss Saigon was my cue to read fiction in between my current consumption.
I was teary watching the last act after experiencing so many things while watching the play: joy, elation, admiration, suspense, and fear. My heart cracked and the ache spilled. The whole play reminded me how messy to be present in this world and how messy to be present on it as a human being—and that’s life. When I blurted “that’s life,” I don't mean there’s nothing much we can do about it. Kim’s fortune and fate, obviously, was affected by series of decision made and will imposed by people living different lives from her. Her ordinary life caught in the seams of history and utopian visions of few men who will never take responsibility for most of her troubles.
Fiction was the first body of art that I loved. It dawned on me how theatre is very similar to the general theme of most short stories that have been written: stories of people living their simple lives and doing ordinary things. Meanwhile the novels are great attempt to capture the depth and breath of human condition. Science fiction imagines worlds and societies beyond what we are having.
Here’s also to hoping to watch more plays, more museum visits, and to finally attended a live poetry reading. I want to learn music but singing is beyond me.