MISS SAIGON & THE MOULIN ROUGE

Yesterday, I treated myself to a live performance of MISS SAIGON at the Riverside Theatre. The price of my ticket cost the same as I paid to attend the MOULIN ROUGE in Paris back in 1978. And that package included a gourmet dinner at a swanky French restaurant! The dollar was weak in Europe that year, too!

Normally, I wouldn't spend that much on a show. But I had never seen this particular musical and I've seen plenty. Usually, I attend the Theatre Guild featuring local actors and singers who are every bit as talented as the professionals. The price there is about one third of the Riverside. -- Recently, they raised prices as well, but it's still far cheaper.

In 1999 when my father & I moved to Vero Beach, a ticket at the Riverside cost $20., $5. more than we paid in Stuart to attend a live show. For this reason, my father declared we would now be giving up our yearly treat. I argued that it was a once a year event and we never did anything else for fun! But he was adamant!!!

Although once, I did persuade him to go. That particular occasion I got in free by dressing up in a toga. Still he was reluctant and it took lots of pleading on my part.

After his death, I attended shows at the Riverside on more than a few occasions either by myself or with friends when the price was still $20.. After the theatre was re-vamped and enlarged, ticket prices shot up. I moved into the less expensive balcony seats. Nearly always I ended up behind someone with a gigantic head. -- What I wouldn't have given for a machete!

Now the price of balcony seats are up. So I usually eschew the Riverside Theatre. However, I really wanted to see MISS SAIGON! The story concerns the Vietnam War. I remember this period, well. It was our first living room war in color on our TV screens! I felt so bad for the men who served there. This was back in the days of the Draft, had I been born male, I probably would have been there, too. I was the right age!

What-the-heck, I was going to see this show! It was something special and I wanted a good seat! -- You don't have to guess why my father is haunting me!

I'm glad I did! The performance was powerful, the show was fast paced and action packed. It was exhilarating! And it captured the flavor of the era perfectly.

Dad was not along on any of my European trips. It's a good thing too, or I would never have gotten inside the Moulin Rouge. My father was not the type who thought in terms of making memories.

My MOULIN ROUGE experience was indeed a memorable one! It was the first and last time I had ever seen a live topless show. -- Surprisingly, most of the dancers were not all that well-endowed. The comedy sketches were in French, which I don't speak, but they were still funny. It was mostly physical comedy. The highlight of the evening was a dolphin tank springing up from the floor. A beautiful woman in a bikini performed tricks with the creatures. In the final stunt a dolphin removed her top. (SHE was well-endowed!) The entire show was spectacular! Shimmering streamers and confetti rained down upon the audience in the grand finale.

The Riverside Theatre will never top that!!! However, I'm still glad I went. I greatly enjoyed the MISS SAIGON performance. -- Some memories don't come cheap! In this case, both were worth it.