Miss Saigon received a standing ovation last night……and so did every other musical I have seen this year. But only Miss Saigon truly deserved the public accolade it received.

Sadly, Britain’s Got Talent, and the like, have cheapened musical theatre into a sea of whoops and undeserving, disingenuous standing ovations.

So, when something like Miss Saigon happens along, it is only then that people truly understand the meaning of ‘quality’.

It has story, several memorable songs that will drive you nuts for days, The American Dream being a case in point, a solid, Asian cast, brilliant direction, staging, lighting……and the list goes on.

And, more than thirty-five years on from when Filipina Lea Salonga left the world breathless as Kim in Boublil and Schönberg’s legendary musical, yet another Pinoy has stepped up to leave his indelible mark on probably the world’s most emotionally draining musical!

Seann Miley Moore, the self-confessed, ‘embodiment of queer Asian excellence’ took to the stage at the Alhambra as The Engineer, and filled it from corner to corner with his deliciously dubious camp portrayal of Saigon’s most famous pimp and Mr Fixit.

He was perfectly cast as a powerhouse of innuendo, double entendre, dirty tricks and, somehow, still managed to become the loveable rogue that every prospective mother in law would be terrified to have round for tea!

Hard to believe that in 1989/90 Jonathan Pryce, almost the perfect Welsh gent, was cast in this role.

Nowadays, a casting director would be accused of cultural appropriation if such a thing were to happen.

Miley Moore’s The American Dream, was an absolute showstopper and, was perhaps, the best example of how this revamped production, carefully crafted by producers, Michael Harrison and Cameron Mackintosh, along with set designer, Andrew D. Edwards and Director Jean-Pierre Van Der Spuy, has been adapted as a show that can more easily play smaller theatres across the UK.

The breathtaking ‘look’ is still there – the chaos and seediness of Saigon with original war footage occasionally running in the background - and, for seasoned Miss Saigoners, there’s still a helicopter but more an Apache than a Wessex!

Which means, of course, that the relatively static anchored set, including revolve, is more trimmed down and compact, but versatile, and, therefore, easily transferable, enabling more people to see the show.

But this powerful heart-wrenching musical has lost nothing: the story of two young people - an American soldier, Chris (Jack Kane) and a Vietnamese girl Kim (Julianne Pundan) - who fall in love as their lives are torn apart by war, ultimately causing a mother to sacrifice her life for her child so that his father has no choice but to take him back to America and a better life.

The romantic leads, Kane and Pundan were absolutely believable: magnificent and overall, this was a strong cast that moved seamlessly through the busy, chaotic backdrop of Saigon.

And then there was the powerful Communist soldier, Thuy, Kim’s man in the East, played brilliantly by Mikko Juan.

However, the show anchor was Seann Miley Moore, this time less glitzy and more sleazy than Jonathan Pryce or any of his predecessors, ever were. No smart cut cheap suits but a simpler attire with a nasty persona fronted by a ‘f*** you smile: aka Fagin or Cabaret’s Master of Ceremonies.

You could not help but admire his energy, nuances and finessing of the part. I concur with the critic that once referred to him as ‘bottled lightning!’

The show felt different from when I first saw it many years ago: expanded, evolved, probably taking its lead from Sheffield Theatres’ 2023 re-vamp in which directors Robert Hastie and Anthony Lau, made a number of updates, borrowed no doubt for this most recent interpretation.

Miss Saigon is timeless because of its themes, which speak to humanity from any generation but, like so many other musicals that have stood the test of time, it is wonderful to see established characterisations evolve as actors take the best from the past and make it their own.

This is a great production that so many more people will now be able to see because, like its characters, the behind-the-scenes team has also learned from the past and, whilst the show’s spectacle is still evident, there is also a new production realism that will enable this show to tour more effectively. Brilliant.

Miss Saigon
Alhambra Theatre, Bradford
Until Saturday May 9th