[AX]

Ive been listening to the OLC non-stop for the past few weeks, and I always assumed the Engineer was a short little Asian man. Then, I was looking at the pictures in the vocal selection book and online, and the engineer appears to be white.

Explanation please?

[RainyCrystal]

well, i think in the case of the OLC, Johnathan Pryce does not look very asian in the production, but he does not look very western either. maybe it's the makeup. the Engineer i'm sure has to be asian, though not necessarily "short" or "little". he can be tall or short, which depends on the actor who plays him. maybe it's just whom they chose to play him in the OLC production that makes him appear white, but i think he's supposed to be Vietnamese. (i could be wrong though...)

[Krista]

Engineer is supposed to be Vietnamese, of course, but he is played by Jonathan Pryce in the OLC. I *think* that Pryce was the only white man ever to play Engineer in Broadway and West End (correct me if I'm wrong, please). Usually he's played by an Asian, just like he should be.

[Ghost]

Derek Griffiths who is black played Engineer in West End.

[spyk_]

A tiny bit off topic, but could someone explain why John Price got the part? I mean, he was good and all but couldn't they of found someone who at least looks Vietnamese!

[piscesmoni]

[BellaSpirita]

Yes, the character is supposed to be Asian, but the fact remains that the role was created by a caucasian guy. That's the beauty of artistic license. And I highly recommend you watch "Hey! Mr. Producer", so you can see Jonathan Pryce play the role of the Engineer. He is phenomenal.

[Ghost]

I've always thought that Pryce was pretty dull as the Engineer. Maybe the thing it's he can't sing the role. And I've seen the Hey mister Producer -video.

[spyk_]

[AX]

yeah, Im sure they couldve found an asian person to play the engineer equally as well as he did. its too late now I guess.

[cmccarthy76]

The character is not Asian , he is Eurasion. He is a mix of European and Asian descent.

[Eponine Poe]

Oh, come now. Who cares what the dude looks like, as long as they make him look Asian *enough*? I mean, nobody complained when Lea Salonga played Eponine in Les Mis, and Ep is obviously supposed to be white.

[Emperor of the Fiends]

I've heard complaints about Lea Salonga as Eponine before (on Amazon, among other places), so I wouldn't exactly say that "no one complained". She may have been one of the most popular Eponines, but no one is universally liked.

[Moci]

However, what Eponine Poe is saying that you don't hear people saying that she shouldn't play Eponine because she is Filipino, regardless of if they liked her interpretation of the character.

[Emperor of the Fiends]

Actually, I have encountered people who have said just that. There are, of course, people who criticize her based on her actual performance-she's too polished for the role, she comes across as stalkerish, etc-but there are also some who complain about her based on the fact that she's Asian.

[Eponine Poe]

I'm one of the people who criticizes her based on her performance. But I haven't found too many people who agree with me, and those who do *usually* don't base it off looks. *shrugs* That's the only point i was trying to make.

[Tempo]

I think, getting back to the original question, the Engineer doesn't have to be Asian.

He does make a point in the show to explain that his Mother is French. Which gives him his backstory on why he longs to be Western.

[Emperor of the Fiends]

[The Very Angry Woman]

Jim Corti was reportedly an excellent Engineer in the Mariott Lincolnshire production. (And he's definitely not Asian.)

There was a black actor who played the Engineer in the West End several years ago, but I don't remember his name.

[nicnikniki]