Miss Saigon - Nottingham Review

Review by Mark

Tickets were gifted in return for an honest review.

The heat is on in Nottingham as the highly anticipated 2026 UK Tour of Miss Saigon arrives at the Theatre Royal as part of an extensive tour. While the show has been a theatrical giant for over thirty years, this latest iteration, directed by Jean-Pierre Van Der Spuy, proves that you can indeed teach a legendary show new tricks. This isn't just a revival; it is a gritty, cinematic, and profoundly moving reconstruction of the Vietnam War epic.

Julianne Pundan (Kim). Photo by Danny Kaan

Perhaps the most impressive part of this new production is how it addresses the musical’s more controversial history. The 2026 update includes subtle but meaningful lyrical changes and a shift in visual storytelling that moves away from orientalist tropes. The result is a show that feels more genuine and respectful of the culture it portrays, without losing the soaring, operatic power of the Schönberg and Boublil score. New lyrics by Michael Mahler fit into the world superbly.

Central to the story is the love story of American GI Chris (played on the night by alternate Daniel J Brian) and Kim (Julianne Pundan), a Vietnamese girl who flees her village in the last days of the Vietnam War. Their chance meeting at The Dreamland Bar (a seedy brother run by The Engineer) takes the audience on an emotional journey of love and hope, especially in the second act. Brian excels as Chris; he excellently carries the role of a soldier forced to become a man after their meeting. Pundan is simply phenomenal throughout. Everything she does is done with real feeling and her vocals are flawless. You truly believe in every second of her delivery of the role. Together, Brian and Pundan carry much of the story's emotion, especially when their son Tam (played superbly that evening by Favian Costales) arrives.

Seann Miley Moore is magnificent as The Engineer. Stepping away from the traditional sleazy uncle archetype of the past, Moore delivers a performance that is nothing short of revolutionary. Their Engin-queer interpretation is a masterclass in magnetic chaos; equal parts terrifying, heartbreaking, and fabulous. When Moore takes centre stage for 'The American Dream', the production shifts from a tragic drama into a high-octane fever dream, and in a show with such an iconic score, this moment really stands out.

Seann Miley Moore (The Engineer). Photo by Danny Kaan

Dom Hartley-Harris makes a lasting impression as John and the heartwrenching 'Bui-Doi' is delivered with rich vocals and heartbreaking feeling. Emily Langham also impresses as Ellen, truthfully she has little to do, but the impact she makes on the story is clear. Mikko Juan gives a powerful version of Thuy, particularly in 'You Will Not Touch Him' and 'Kim's Nightmare'.

It is impressive to see a cast of this size (28 actors) and an orchestra (13 musicians). The scale of this production is never lost. The music is ever so gorgeous; the work by Schönberg and Boublil never fails to wow. Maybe this score isn't as beloved as their Les Misérables, but with songs including 'The Movie In My Mind' (Thao Therese Nguyen delivers a fantastic rendition), 'Why God Why?', 'The Last Night of The World' and 'I Still Believe', this is a score as rich as any in the musical theatre canon.

In this 2026 tour, the full-sized mechanical beast of the 90s has been replaced by a sophisticated mix of multimedia projections, thundering sound design, and scaled-back physical set pieces. The set design by Andrew D. Edwards eschews the scale of the previous stagings for a more lived-in aesthetic. The bars of Dreamland are caked in grit, and the Ho Chi Minh City sequences are draped in a haunting, industrial gray that highlights the human cost of the conflict. The famous helicopter scene is cleverly adapted and whilst it may lack the wind-in-the-hair feeling of old, it still leaves a lasting impact. The production feels more human as a result of the staging.

Bruno Poet's atmospheric lighting and Adam Fisher's sound both combine to add to the scale of the piece. Whilst scaled back for a tour, the show never lacks for it; if anything, it allows you to focus more on the performances. The addition of George Reeve's projection reminds you of the human cost of the war, adding a real-time reminder of the world we live in today.

This production of Miss Saigon is a triumph of modern musical theatre. It lands both a nostalgic feel of previous versions, whilst feeling fresh and new. There is devastating emotion and undeniable spectacular theatrics. Whether you are a lifelong fan or a first-time viewer, this tour demands to be seen, not just for the scale of the production but for the outstanding cast who are redefining these iconic roles for a new generation. 

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Miss Saigon plays at Nottingham's Theatre Royal until Saturday 4th April 2026. Very limited tickets remain from https://trch.co.uk/

Miss Saigon continues on tour, running until Saturday 8th August 2026. The production will return to London at the Prince Edward Theatre from 13th May 2027. For dates and tickets, visit https://miss-saigon.com/uktour/

Julianne Pundan (Kim), Mikko Juan (Thuy). Photo by Danny Kaan.