“High in drama, high in romance, and the highest in musical talent.”
Carrying the subtitle “The Legend Reborn”, this new touring production of “Miss Saigon”, which is slated for a West End run later this year, is a reimagining of the original 1989 production by Claude-Michel Schönberg and Alain Boublil. Coinciding with the 50th anniversary of the end of the Vietnam War, this musical tells the story of Kim (Julianne Pundan), a young Vietnamese girl who is forced to work at a brothel in Saigon, where she meets American GI Chris (alternate Daniel J Brian), and very quickly falls in love with him. After Chris is forced to leave Kim during the infamous Operation Frequent Wind, which saw several thousand Americans evacuated from Saigon via helicopter, fleeing from the approaching Viet Cong, the rest of the musical focuses on their quest to be reunited, with the plot spanning three years and taking us from Vietnam to America and Thailand.
Based on Puccini’s “Madame Butterfly”, the musical is definitely operatic in style, being completely sung-through and featuring many numbers that are loud and dramatic, with each subsequent plot point being treated as a heightened emotional denouement. This can become slightly tiring; the musical never lets up, and even songs that begin quieter very quickly turn into ballads that are belted are the top of the performers’ range – but there is no denying the musical talents that are on display here. All expertly underscored by Ben Mark Turner’s orchestra, we are treated to show-stopping performance after show-stopping performance, Pundan already demonstrating her immense talent in early number “The Movie in my Mind”, and yet continuing to impress in later numbers such as “Sun and Moon” and “I’d Give My Life For You”, hard-hitting emotional songs that continually hammer home to romance that runs throughout the show. Each time one believes that Pundan has hit the limits of her vocal range, she continues to prove otherwise – it is a jaw-dropping professional debut, and one that has the audience on their feet by the end of the final number.
Chris and Kim’s romance develops very quickly over the space of a single night spent together in Saigon, yet it is sold thanks to Pundan and Brian’s chemistry, with “The Last Night of the World” firmly helping us buy into their relationship, which is vital in terms of propelling the plot forward. Many of their songs together feel a little similar – both in terms of melody and emotional tone – but Pundan and Brian’s voices fit together so well that one can hardly complain. As Ellen, Chris’ American wife, Emily Langham enjoys some quieter moments with songs such as “Maybe” and “I Still Believe”, which is a welcome reprieve from the bombastic nature of many of the other numbers, although her reaction to discovering her husband’s one-night-stand with Kim may leave a little to be desired when viewing the show through a 2026 lens.
Offering some much-needed comic relief is Seann Miley Moore’s Engineer, who begins the play as an antagonist, running the Dreamland brothel and continually mistreating the ‘staff’, but quickly becomes an ally for Kim, if only for their own gains. Moore brings a tongue-in-cheek queerness to the show, and their final number “The American Dream” sees them wearing a dress patterned with the American flag, in a song that has elements of drag and harks back to classic musicals such as 42nd Street – it is an enjoyable moment, for sure, but one that feels slightly out-of-place amidst the rest of the musical. Moore’s branch of comedy often relies on sexual jokes that are so overt they can hardly be considered innuendo, which draws laughs from some audience members but are clearly not to everyone’s taste.
Andrew D Edwards’ set design is a marvel – the set is so extravagant one can hardly believe it is a touring production, with towering blocks either side of the stage allowing for multiple levels, and a central turntable helping to create extra movement onstage as well as allowing for quick scene changes. It all feels a little busy, and can be overwhelming in the opening number “The Heat Is On”, but it keeps things interesting and fresh throughout. The much publicised moment when the helicopter arrives to take Chris back to America is as climactic as one might expect, although it arrives halfway through Act Two as a flashback which can make the plot feel a little confusing.
The choreography (Chrissie Cartwright and Carrie-Anne Ingrouille) is often militaristic in style, as the huge ensemble take on roles of the American and Vietnamese armies, whilst one moment during “The Morning of the Dragon” sees the ensemble don toy soldier-esque costumes, their movements puppet-like and stilted, whilst George Reeve’s projection design shows elements of an old Vietnamese folklore tale which is used to celebrate the anniversary of the reunification of Vietnam. It is elements like these that help to keep the production visually interesting, even if a lot of the musical numbers begin to blend into one after a while.
This is a musical that grips you from the opening and refuses to let go, whether you like it or not. Moments of high drama will either land or feel over-exaggerated (particularly in the case of Mikko Juan’s Thuy), whilst quieter moments often get lost amidst the noise and clamour. The vocal performances are absolutely phenomenal (including from Thao Therese Nguyen who feels criminally underused as Gigi), and it is easy to lose yourself in the romantic plot that will capture the hearts of many audience members. An encyclopaedic knowledge of the Vietnam War are not needed to appreciate this (although the accompanying programme gives a good overview of the key events), with the focus very much being on characters rather than historical setting. This is sure to be a hit amongst those both new to the musical and those who have been long-term fans. High in drama, high in romance, and the highest in musical talent.
Tom Morley, March 2026
For more information on how I decide on star ratings, see here: Star ratings – Broken Legs Blog
Review Round-up:
Elemental Theatre: Miss Saigon – 3* from ETC who call this “a production that showcases immense talent, yet struggles to justify its place in a modern theatrical landscape”
Theatre & Tonic: Miss Saigon – 5* from T&T, who call this a production with “stunning performances, emotional honesty and moments of breathtaking theatricality”
WhatsOnStage: Miss Saigon – And finally, 4* from WoS who say this “relentless spectacle” is “unapologetically operatic, uncomfortably political, and utterly, devastatingly effective”
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