Review: Miss Saigon

Review: Miss Saigon

★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Manchester Palace Theatre 13-11-25 by Tiffany Chevis

Boublil and Schönberg’s legendary Miss Saigon is one of those bucket-list shows that every theatre-lover has on their list, and has graced stages around the world for over 35 years. This new production by Michael Harrison, in association with Cameron Mackintosh, lands half a century after the end of the Vietnam War – and remains as powerful and poignant as ever before.

Following the final days of the conflict, the disillusioned and despairing American GI Chris (Jack Kane) encounters Kim (Julianne Pundan) at a local bar/club. Caught fleeing her devastated village by the Engineer (Seann Miley Moore), Kim is 17, wide-eyed and untouched, thrust into the seedy maelstrom of ‘entertainment’ and survival. Chris and Kim become each other’s lifeboats, clinging to one another for a sense of security and comfort. In the melee of the American’s retreat, they are cast apart, and what follows is Kim’s unwavering search for her love, whilst Chris fights demons of his own.

The incredible set by Andrew D Edwards (also costume) is enhanced by the powerful use of projection and lighting, designed by George Reeve and Bruno Poet respectively. Overlaying the stage with images from the war truly transported the audience to that world back in 1975. In Kim’s Nightmare portraying the helicopter evacuations, the chaos and panic built to a breathtaking crescendo that will be marked as a piece of stagecraft history.

Seann Miley Moore brings their award-winning, captivating portrayal of the Engineer from the international tour to the UK, and is a force of nature. What felt like a melting pot of Henri de Toulouse (Moulin Rouge), Emcee (Cabaret) and Fagin (Oliver!), but with a gritty fortitude and exceptional expression, it was impossible to look away whenever Moore graced the stage. The epitome of madam and martyr, showman and sneak – Moore’s performance sets the bar.

The American Dream was the standout number of the show, from Moore’s exceptional vocal strength to the spectacle of the cabaret choreography (Chrissie Cartwright and Carrie-Anne Ingrouille). The scene built in the most unexpected ways, and was simultaneously a technicolour relief from the khaki and grey drudgery whilst having its own dark and disquieting undertones.

It’s almost hard to believe that the character of Kim marks Julianne Pundan’s professional debut. Beneath the innocence lies a formidable strength, and the depth and maturity to Pundan’s voice brought that to the fore. The mother’s vow in I’d Give My Life For You struck deep to the heart of everyone watching. Pundan’s interaction with Theo Dominic Torres – playing the impossibly small and vulnerable Tam – was exceptionally moving yet completely natural. It’s hard to believe the pair weren’t really mother and son.

It is no mean feat tackling the emotional turmoil of soldier, and Jack Kane approaches Chris with unabashed vulnerability. His desperation and sense of loyalty is a stark reminder of the reality for those young men told they were doing good, and left with nothing to show but scars that will never truly heal. Manchester’s run landed during the period of Remembrance, bringing the reality of war into even more stark light.

Other notable numbers were the Movie in My Mind, with Ace giving her professional debut as the thick-skinned yet ever-hoping Gigi. Taking the action over the water to Atlanta, we see the veteran’s ongoing struggle to come to terms with the outcome of war – Bui Doi or ‘dust of life’ refers to the street children, ‘conceived in hell’, unwanted by either country. Dominic Hartley-Harris plays John, Chris’ friend who now, three years after the conflict, is determined to save those sons and daughters.
Capturing the bedlam of war, the scrappy community built through necessity, and the relentless pursuit of a better future, this is a story that will leave you stunned, and embed itself in your soul. Under Jean-Pierre Van Der Spuy’s direction, Miss Saigon is reborn.

Get tickets from the official site HERE