A new touring production of Miss Saigon opens at the Theatre Royal

When my nan decided to spend the weekend in Newcastle, I immediately started to plan activities for us to do. My first thought was to treat her (and myself) to a trip to the theatre, and where better to go than Newcastle’s beautiful Theatre Royal. I knew she would love the emotional story and enchanting soundtrack of Miss Saigon, so I booked tickets in a heartbeat. I didn’t realise, though, that the show we were seeing was the opening night of a brand-new touring production of the classic musical.

The musical follows the story of Kim, a young girl working in a bar in Saigon in the final days of the Vietnam war. She meets and falls in love with Chris, an American GI, but the pair are ripped apart by the fall of Saigon and Kim is left to fend for herself.

The energy of the opening night amongst the cast was palpable, with each performer having their moment to shine. A standout for me was Seann Miley Moore’s performance as the Engineer. Miley Moore is a queer, Filipino actor returning to the role after an award-winning run on the 2023 International Tour. A highlight of their camp, humorous performance was The American Dream, where the setting explodes into an extravagant, colourful scene depicting the Engineer’s unadulterated hope for a new life in America.

Our seats were high up in the gallery which allowed us to appreciate both the beauty of the theatre's intricate ceiling and engravings, as well as the show itself. Our view was partially restricted, but this did not prevent us from feeling fully immersed in the story; the elaborate staging made it impossible not to be! Moving walls, a turntable and levitating elements all contributed to an ambitious set that, despite a couple of performance stops for safety reasons, was both visually exciting and impressive.

Beyond the spectacle, Miss Saigon’s tragic story of love, motherhood and the search for a better life is poignant and distinctly relevant in the context of the growth of anti-immigration attitudes in our own country and beyond; its ability to evoke self-reflection is powerful.

My nan and I incredibly enjoyed this production and we would highly recommend it! The production runs at the Theatre Royal until Saturday 25^th October, and tickets for 18-30s are available from just £17.