Review: Miss Saigon, UK tour, Glasgow | Still stunning; still devastating
- Lisa in the theatre
- 12 minutes ago
- 4 min read
The new UK tour production of legendary musical Miss Saigon has arrived at Glasgow King's Theatre for a two-week residency. Miss Saigon is at the King's until Saturday, 20th June 2026. Read my review of this stunning production below.
Miss Saigon ★★★★★
Review: 10 June 2026 | King's Theatre, Glasgow
Boublil and Schönberg’s legendary musical Miss Saigon premiered in the West End in 1989 and has since played on Broadway and in over 30 countries worldwide. A new UK tour production by Michael Harrison, in association with original producer Cameron Mackintosh, opened at the end of 2025, and this week it has arrived in Glasgow for its final Scottish dates.
Miss Saigon tells the same story as Puccini's opera Madame Butterfly. But Miss Saigon relocates the action to the 1970s, and to the last days of the Vietnam War.
Shy 17-year-old Kim (Julianne Pundan) is working at a seedy bar in Saigon for a corrupt pimp, The Engineer (Seann Miley Moore). She meets and falls in love with an American soldier, Chris (Jack Kane), who is out with his friends celebrating that they are soon to be shipped back to the USA.
Kim and Chris fall in love, but they are torn apart by the collapse of the South Vietnamese government and the fall of Saigon. As Chris returns to a new life in America, Kim never gives up hope that he will return for her and their son.
Directed by Jean-Pierre van der Spuy, this immaculate new production of Miss Saigon proves why the musical has been so successful, and why it still thrills and devastates almost 40 years after its debut. Kim and Chris's love story is as beautiful as it is tragic, and the horror and desperation on the streets of Saigon as the Viet Cong move in, and the city falls, is palpable.
The new stage design by Andrew D. Edwards is one of the most complex, technically challenging tour sets I've seen. There's so much movement and interest, with a towering two-level frame that wraps around the stage, massive spinning set pieces and a deftly used revolving stage floor. Bruno Poet's lighting is sensational. The dark and moody backdrops are bright with colourful accents and neons, while the cast are always perfectly lit. With superb but never overused projections adding yet more drama and intensity, this is as technically impressive as it gets.
Following the UK tour, this production of Miss Saigon will move into the Prince Edward Theatre in London from May 2027, and it certainly looks ready for the West End stage.
One of the enduring qualities of Miss Saigon is the extraordinary score, with music by Claude-Michel Schönberg and lyrics by Richard Maltby Jr. and Alain Boublil. This musical is sung-through, and there isn't a weak number in the show. Song after gorgeous song, played by the excellent orchestra, fills the auditorium. On one or two occasions, the sound balance was a little off, with the saxophone in particular drowning out a few of the lyrics, but it was fleeting.
'The Heat is On in Saigon' is a brilliant uptempo opening for the show, while ''Last Night of the World' and 'I Still Believe' are the most beautiful, heartbreaking duets. Dom Hartley-Harris's smooth voice is glorious during the breathtaking Act II opener 'Bui-Doi.' In any other show, this would be the indisputable highlight of the night, but this production stars Seann Miley Moore, who reprises his role of The Engineer following an award-winning performance on the international tour.
Miley Moore is sensational every moment he's on stage. His over-the-top, unscrupulous Engineer is utterly spellbinding. But near the end of the show, supported by the excellent ensemble cast, his 'American Dream' is the spectacular showstopper we've all been waiting for. My jaw dropped. What a performer!
Casting for this tour production of Miss Saigon is exquisite. Every voice, every performer in the company is first-class. From music artist Jack Kane as Chris, to Mikko Juan's Thuy and the phenomenal Emily Langham's Ellen, every performance is perfectly pitched and meaningful.
In a role that made a star of the likes of Lea Salonga and Eva Noblezada, recent Brit School graduate Julianne Pundan is exquisite as Kim. Her quiet, vulnerable naivety and enduring love for Chris and for her son are powerful; her belief in rescue and then sacrifice in the hopes of giving her son a better life, unbearable. Pundan has a gorgeous, clear tone to her voice and a striking stage presence. It's remarkable that this is her professional debut.
Miss Saigon is not a cheery night out at the theatre, but it is completely enthralling, top-quality stuff. It's a modern musical theatre classic for a reason. And with timeless music and thrilling performances, this production of it excels. More than 35 years on, Miss Saigon is still stunning and still devastating. ★★★★★
Miss Saigon is at the King's Theatre, Glasgow until Saturday 20 June 2026. The show then continues on tour across the UK through August 2026, before it returns to London's West End in 2027.
MORE: read the Miss Saigon UK Tour cast announcement here: https://www.lisainthetheatre.com/post/miss-saigon-uk-cast-news
See Miss Saigon in theatres
King's Theatre, Glasgow
Tue 9 - Sat 20 June 2026
More UK tour dates via ATG tickets: https://www.atgtickets.com/shows/miss-saigon/
This epic production opens in London on 13 May 2027 for a strictly limited season at the Prince Edward Theatre.
