Book: Alain Boublil and Claude-Michel Schönberg
Music: Claude-Michel Schönberg
Lyrics: Alain Boublil and Richard Maltby Jr
Director: Jean-Pierre Van Der Spuy
It’s fifty years since the fall of Saigon, and the musical phenomenon which depicts the events around that time is on its way round the country as part of a major tour – and it’s very nearly perfect. Miss Saigon is a show that’s been beset by controversy over the years, with concerns around the sexualisation of the Vietnamese women, cultural stereotyping and power imbalances, some of which are a function of past productions and some which are inherent in the original material. The current production has been labelled by the producers as “a fresh look” and “a brand-new production, a modern version” in an attempt to address the issues, and the result is something which has undergone some changes – some subtle, some more obvious – to give us something that is still very recognisably Miss Saigon but with a softer feel – though that’s not always to its benefit.
It’s a show that drags you from one emotion to the next with little pause for breath in between, and the staging reinforces that. Designer Andrew D. Edwards has given us a set which moves you from one location to another, one sequence to another, without respite. The Dreamlands club has a tawdry faded glitz; the rooms are dingy and basic, and Bangkok is all neon signs hiding unsavoury interiors behind the doors. It’s brilliantly conceived and exquisitely lit by Bruno Poet, who has designed some of the most effective lighting you could hope to come across – and add the video by George Reeve and you have a visual treat. It’s massive and it’s intense. Full marks to the entire creative team for the teamwork involved in making this all work to move the show fluidly and relentlessly towards its conclusion. Co-choreographers Chrissie Cartwright & Carrie-Anne Ingrouille have added their touch to give us some well-designed and appropriate movement, which all enhances the feel.
An excellent cast has been assembled to lead this show. Making a superb professional debut is Julianne Pundan as Kim. Rather than a helpless girl waiting for her great white saviour to rescue her, this is someone who quickly understands that to succeed during difficult times, you need to take control of as much as you can, which she does with a fierce determination. Vocally, Pundan is excellent, and she brings a huge emotional weight to the role, with a heart-rending You Will Not Touch Him and I’d Give My Life for You. Opposite is Jack Kane as Chris, also in excellent voice with some superb vocals. Here is a man torn between past and present, who’s aware of his own failings, he’s confused and uncertain, determined to do the right thing but unclear about what that right thing might actually be. Here is no laddish GI, but a sensitive man who’s capable of great tenderness. Dominic Hartley-Harris brings a pragmatic realism to the role of John, Emily Langham gives us an Ellen who’s torn apart by events, wanting to help but unclear how, and Mikko Juan’s Thuy is himself torn about how to win Kim back, pushed into using his power but realising it’s not the way.
Stealing the show is Seann Miley Moore as the Engineer. Bringing a queer flamboyance that’s a stark contrast to the dark events going on elsewhere, they draw the eye whenever they’re on stage, with a beautifully executed American Dream. It’s not all glitz and glamour, though, and Moore shows they’re also capable of subtlety and deep emotion when needed. It’s a pivotal role, someone who’d sell their soul to the highest bidder, using satire to highlight the dark and inexplicable facets of a war that makes no sense.
It’s absolutely right that shows should have a fresh look and feel from time to time, and this is a production which – although it’s certainly far from sanitised – has made some changes which have, in places, softened some of the impact. You don’t quite feel the sense of threat and coercion in Dreamlands club, and the sex-worker costumes are less revealing than previously, which removes concerns about the portrayal of the Vietnamese women but at the same time tempers some of the sleaze, which hasn’t then been recreated by other means. Vocally excellent as it is, the staging of the Bui Doi sequence, as John handing out leaflets rather than addressing the assembly backed by camp images, has removed much of its emotional impact, and the Fall of Saigon lacks much of the sense of chaos and desperation that we’ve seen previously. There’s so much that is good about this production that it’s a shame that these points just detract from an otherwise excellent show – though anyone seeing it for the first time will undoubtedly be blown away by what is presented.
Miss Saigon has one of the most powerful scores you could hope to hear, the cast and orchestra deliver it beautifully and it’s a visual and aural treat. While the softer tone may have reduced the emotional impact in some places, the storyline remains as powerful and heart-rending as always and if you’re a musical theatre fan this is a production that shouldn’t be missed.
Runs until 29 November 2025 and on tour
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