MISS SAIGON
A spoken-word version
Written by
Claude-Michel Schönberg and Alain Boublil
Modified by
Jennifer Vu
OBJECTIVE Jane Tam
CHARACTERS
KIM, 20 YEARS OLD, FEMALE
THUÝ, 20 YEARS OLD, FEMALE
TIME
hitch commit an
1978, dawn, near sunrise
PLACE
Kim’s hiding spot.
It is dark. The smell of damp bamboo and wood lingers in the wet air. The site is a mess,
with random items scattered and piled on top of one another. The street pageant outside
can be faintly heard through the closed door. In one corner lies a small basket with a cloth
covering its contents.
who Kim single mum in hiding
anti communist
with T him to avert to communism
thug wants
Amin wants to be w Chris
WHEN 1978 3 yrs after Fail of Saigon
WHERE Tee PLACE
with
Tho't feels betrayed hunt love in a twisted
anger way
I
MM communist
anti
stay loyal to Canis I
ACT I - SCENE 7: THUÝ’S DEATH/YOU WILL NOT TOUCH HIM
(KIM is on the floor on one side of the room. THUÝ
approaches KIM from the other side.)
THUÝ
(Holding out her hand)
Come with me.
KIM
No! There is a secret that you don't know. There is a force here I never show. You say it's
treason to keep my vow. Season after season, I survived somehow. If you want the
reason, I will show you now.
(KIM picks up her baby from the basket. She shares a
basket tender moment with him as she holds him close.)
Look, Thuý. This is my son. He has kept me alive. Now you see why I must tell you
“No".
THUÝ
No one must ever see this thing you're showing me! That bastard fouls our name!
KIM
My baby's not to blame for what I've done!
THUÝ
You must decide upon which side you're really on. You whored to make this kid!
KIM
That isn't what I did. Don't touch my son!
THUÝ
You must see how it is when you're my family. Having that child of his brands us for life.
No alternative! This child cannot live!
(THUÝ pulls a knife, threatening the baby.)
KIM
No! You will not touch him! Don't touch my boy! He's what I live for. He's my only joy!
(MORE)
KIM THUÝ
You will not touch him! Don't touch my He is my enemy. It's he turns you from
boy! He's what I live for. He's my only me. Erase him from your life, even your
joy! memory. He's one drop in a flood left
here to taint our blood. Our familial bond
was sworn. Forget that he was born.
(KIM pulls out a gun from the basket.)
KIM THUÝ
Stand back! Don't touch my boy, and do Of course, you have a gun! And now
not test my will. I'm warning you! For you'll shoot your cousin. And it's a U.S.
him, I'll kill! gun. A gun that lost the war. You're the
corrupted one. Go on and shoot—don't
wait! To save your bastard son, you must
not hesitate!
(KIM sets the baby down as she fastens both hands on the
gun.)
KIM
The earth moves where I stand. I feel the turning of a wheel. I feel nothing in my hand,
not even the feel of steel. You will not take my child!
THUÝ
You don't know how to kill!
(THUÝ snatches the baby and runs across to the other side
of the room. She raises her knife. She is going to stab the
baby.)
KIM
I have no other choice. What I must do, I will...
(The bullet sets off from the gun with a loud bang! KIM
drops the gun in shock. When KIM looks up, her eyes meet
with THUÝ’s, who was just shot in the back. THUÝ
reaches out for KIM, and they stumble towards each other.
As THUÝ falls, KIM catches her in her arms, and the baby
lands softly beside them. KIM watches the life leave her
cousin’s eyes, and when she realises what she has done, she
screams an ugly scream.)
(MORE)
KIM
(Crying)
No! Tôi xin lỗi! Tôi xin lỗi! *
(She can’t stop sobbing. After some time, she closes
THUÝ’s eyes. As she looks over her cousin’s dead body,
she spots her baby and quickly scoops him up in her arms.
She checks if he is okay, and when she finds him
unharmed, she slowly rises. She stands with her baby in her
arms, looking stoically upon the horizon. Nothing will
come between KIM and her son.)
