Originally opening in 1989 and running for an impressive 10 years on the West End, Miss Saigon remains the hugely successful blockbuster musical, with Laurence Connor’s boldly cinematic production ensuring standing ovations night after night.
The story, a clever resetting of Puccini’s Madam Butterfly to Vietnam just before the fall of Saigon, follows Kim, a war orphan forced into acts she’s ashamed of to make a living, and her love affair with American GI Chris. After a whirlwind romance they are cruelly forced apart as the Americans depart Vietnam, and Kim is left waiting and hoping for the return of her love.
Designs by Totie Driver and Matt Kinley superbly capture the confusion and terrors of war, from the garish lights of the Dreamland Club and Bangkok, to the famous helicopter scene, which must be one of the most thrilling and visually exciting to ever be staged in a theatre. The sheer detail that has gone into this production must not go unmentioned, and the fact that during the club scenes you can actually smell the Vietnamese food on stage is one of the ways the all round theatrical experience is heightened.
The 18-year old Eva Noblezada is the true gem of the show, and gives it its heart. A stunning find by Tara Rubin and Cameron Mackintosh, the maturity and vulnerability with which Noblezada handles the role is simply mesmerizing – it’s difficult to believe that this is her professional debut. Jon Jon Briones gives us a masterclass in distaste and seediness as The Engineer. His dark humour during his sardonic solo The American Dream brings the house down and ensures he receives the greatest applause at curtain call. As a quasi-narrator, he has us in the palm of his throughout and provides much needed comic relief in this tumultuous story.
Rachelle Ann Go also deserves a mention, with her aching rendition of Movie in My Mind – a pure and honest tone that really touches. As Chris Scott, the American GI, Alistair Brammer gives a powerful performance in his scenes opposite Tamsin Carroll (Ellen) but fails to connect fully with Noblezada’s Kim. His direction feels obvious, and fails to generate much warmth or likeability.
Boublil and Schönberg’s score, with its great surging power ballads, feels almost over written in parts. Despite the soaring melodies being beautiful, there are so many of them that the pace begins to feel slightly monotonous. With such visual excitement one would hope for a more diversely exciting aural experience. That being said, the orchestra is expertly led by Alfonso Casado Trigo. The wall of sound from the stalls is simply stunning.
Miss Saigon at the Prince Edward Theatre is a fantastic restaging of a show that ends far too soon narratively. The combination of Connor’s cinematic prowess, Mackintosh’s relentless search for perfection and a powerful creative team guarantees an emotional and exhilarating night out for every ticket holder. Despite the odd qualms, this is a show that deserves its place on the West End, and should not be missed.
Reviewed on 20th January 2015, with many thanks to SeatPlan and Official Theatre.