Third time’s the charm for Red Concepcion

Red Concepcion (center) as The Engineer in “Miss Saigon” Johan Persson

LONDON—One of the highlights of our recent trip to Europe was our last-minute brunch with theater stalwart Red Concepcion, the latest Filipino thespian tasked to portray The Engineer in Cameron Mackintosh’s “Miss Saigon”—this time, for the acclaimed production’s UK tour.

We were in luck because the 31-year-old actor had decided to spend his short break in London, before proceeding to the musical’s stopovers in Wales (for five weeks), Edinburgh (four weeks) and Manchester (seven weeks).

“The whole thing still feels like a dream to me, but I’m learning a lot and enjoying every minute of it. I feel truly blessed,” mused Red.

As we chatted over English pie and “coffee in a mortar” in a street café in Covent Garden, we hardly noticed the four-degree autumn weather as our enthusiastic shop talk quickly turned into an extended chatter about acting in theater and living a dream.

Red’s longing for home was palpable, and we thought, half in in jest, that it was his warmth and unpretentious nature that “saved” both of us from hypothermia. But, Red’s good nature wasn’t something new to us.

Ten years ago, we directed and acted with him in two musicals—“Into the Woods” and “Basilia ng Malolos,” respectively—but, other than the deeper texture of his voice and the scruffier Engineer countenance (think Junix Inocian, who was one of the musical’s Filipino pioneers), nothing much has changed about this theatrical triple threat.

As we noted in our April 17 Inquirer article about Red, his idiosyncratic sense of humor would play well to the smarmy character he’s playing in the musical. The Engineer is known for his devious machinations as much as his impish charm.

And it looks like the critics agree with our “informed” appraisal of the actor’s thespic gifts. To quote StageTalk Magazine’s rave review of Red’s performance: “The show was stolen by the slimy Engineer, played by the amazing Red Concepcion. [He] is the light relief this show needs after all the moments of heartbreak. He has the audience laughing one moment and cowering in fear the next.”

So, who says nice guys always finish last?

Our Q&A with Red:

Was there a point in the rehearsal process when you thought you couldn’t pull it off? I had doubts every day (laughs)! I was familiar with the soundtrack of “Miss Saigon,” but I’ve never seen any of the previous incarnations of the show. So, I didn’t realize how big it was until I actually started rehearsing for it.

It was a whirlwind of emotions, and I was living on minor victories—one minute I was like, “Yes, I did it!” The next minute, I’d tell myself, “Wala … ang pangit [ng ginawa ko]. Hindi ko ’to kaya!”

We only had five weeks to put the show together, and two weeks of technical rehearsals—pukpukan talaga. By the end of the third week, I had a one-on-one session with Claude-Michel (Schonberg, the musical’s composer) who, thereafter, watched our rehearsals four or five times a week.

There was immense pressure for me, but a lot of it was due to the complexity of the role itself and the pressure I put on myself.

The helicopter scene from “Miss Saigon;” Red Concepcion (inset) —CAMERON MACKINTOSH LTD

It is, after all, the role of a lifetime for me—and I got it only after my third try. In the auditions for the Korean and 25th anniversary productions of the musical, I didn’t make it past the shortlist. I almost didn’t audition for the UK tour, but (actor) Jef Flores said to me, “You’re going to hate yourself if you don’t.”

How different is your Engineer from the character’s previous iterations? I was told that my version is so likeable they almost forget how despicable he is. That was the challenge for me, because I play to the audience a lot—and I had to find the right balance between being disgusting and charming.

Yes, The Engineer has a name: Tran Van Dinh … I call him Travis. Cameron (Mackintosh) thought that British theatergoers would appreciate a wittier Engineer.

Talk about the company and the Filipino actors in it. It’s a very young cast. I do seven shows a week as The Engineer. Of the 38 or so cast members, there are seven or eight Filipinos, including Kim alternate Joreen Bautista (who plays Kim twice a week), Gerald Santos (who plays Thuy) and Chuck Marbella (who plays The Engineer once a week).

Sooha Kim, who portrays Kim six times a week, sounds like an angel. Her chemistry with Ashley Gilmour (Chris) is something else. The audience also likes Joreen because when she sings, “I’m 17 … ,” you really believe that she’s young and vulnerable. And our dancers are exceptional!

What have you learned from your extensive theater experience in Manila that has helped you in “Miss Saigon?” A friend has quite astutely pointed out to me that everything that I’ve done in the past has led me to this moment. One of the main things I’ve learned from them is the specificity of thought … the clarity of intentions. They’re important for the role of The Engineer, who operates with a lot of switches in his brain. He does whatever is required to get the desired result.

Did they tell you why they chose you for the role? No, I never wanted to ask (laughs)!

If you were to play two roles after your stint with “Miss Saigon,” what would they be? I’ll try any character in “Les Miserables,” which has recently been toying with colorblind casting—like hiring an African-American actor (Norm Lewis) in the role of Javert.

At some point, I’d also love to do Sweeney Todd—that’s my dream role. But, I feel like I need more (physical) weight for that character.

What do you do when you’re homesick? I always get homesick every time a friend from Manila comes over to watch the show. So, I cook adobo.

Do you share it with the other members of the cast? No, I eat it myself (laughs)!