Miss Saigon – Blackpool Opera House

A musical masterpiece that has garnered loyal fans, Miss Saigon will always bring in an audience to be entertained and devastated in equal measure. This new touring production has been reinterpreted “for a new generation”, but with a track record of box office success, does it really need to be changed?

I wouldn’t consider myself a theatre purist, I believe shows should have the opportunity to be re-imagined and reworked. However, this particular adaptation left me nostalgic for its predecessor. Perhaps I am remembering the London revival as perfection, but in comparison, I found myself not fully immersed in this one. Although the technological advancements have served the plot well, I fear the overall impact of the piece has been watered down.

Loosely based on Puccini’s opera Madama Butterfly, this tragic tale takes place in 1970’s Saigon. A seventeen year old girl and a U.S Marine fall in love on one fateful night, but as they are torn apart and the Vietnam war ends, young Kim battles for survival in a cruel and ever-changing world. Featuring an epic score by Boublil and Schonberg, this historic piece of theatre has more than proved its legendary status.

Opening in the backstreets of Vietnam, we are invited into the “Dreamland” club, a regular spot for American soldiers and owned by the flamboyant Engineer (at this performance played excellently by Aaron Teoh). Kim (a dazzling debut from Julianne Pundan) stumbles in after fleeing her war-torn village and takes her place in the lineup of girls on offer.

The Heat is on in Saigon is a crude and hard-hitting introduction, but even from its opening number I was confused. I found myself missing key pieces of dialogue, being overwhelmed by constant movement, late light cues and mic problems. Unfortunately, these issues were a distraction all evening. There are obvious moments of chaos and mayhem, but a relentless fast pace left little room for emotive reflection throughout.

Despite these criticisms, there are magical moments of design. The American Dream sequence is a mammoth feat of staging. A gigantic Lady Liberty rises, staircases of showgirls appear, and The Engineer rises into the sky hanging on a dollar; the excess is the success of this showstopping spectacle.

The video projections (by George Reeve) are cinematic with skies blurring into warplanes, and streetsigns adding to the vivid lighting by Bruno Poet.

With the songs being the show’s strongest asset, I was pleasantly surprised to find a fifteen-piece orchestra in the pit. In the swells of the score, the band sounded incredible, and I was instantly transported back to my first time hearing these rousing orchestrations. However, because of the issues, certain voices were lost or drowned out, meaning the plot was not easy to follow.

The cast, however, are doing a brilliant job at bringing the show to life. The ferocity and passion of Kim and Chris (Sam Kane) is captivating, and the Engineer has the audience hooked with his cunning, comedic flair. The intensity of Mikkoi Juan as Thuy is unmatched, and was a standout performance for me.

Overall, the intensity is what I was disappointed with. What I would expect as some impactful moments felt casual, and the show’s extravagance in other areas felt unnecessary.

Although a whirlwind, the story and score are still reason enough to buy tickets. It’s debut in Blackpool could bring in some new audiences, and perhaps they will compare the future regenerations of it to this one. Miss Saigon still stands as one of the greatest musicals, and so I wouldn’t want to miss out on seeing it for yourself.

Miss Saigon runs until 4th July and tickets can be found at;

Reviewer: Coral Mourant

Reviewed: 1st July 2026

North West End UK Rating: