Drama theatre evaluation of Miss Saigon

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Drama theatre evaluation of Miss Saigon

Miss Saigon uses cutting edge visual techniques and a brilliant new set which vividly recreates the streets of Vietnam and Bangkok.Set in 1975 during the final days leading up to the American evacuation of Saigon, Miss Saigon is an epic love story about the relationship between an American GI and a young Vietnamese woman. When it comes to musicals, people fall broadly into two camps. Either you like them, or you don't. Either you can accept the idea that singing and dancing can be used to tell a straight story, or you can't. As such, you probably already know whether you'll like Miss Saigon or not. If you like musicals, you'll probably like it. If you can't stand them, you probably won't. The purpose of this review, then, is basically to refine that “probably” down into a “definitely” (or, as the case may be, “definitely not”).

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First things first; Miss Saigon is distinctly a type-two musical. If you come to the theatre expecting something in the style of Chitty-Chitty Bang-Bang or The Wizard of Oz , then you are going to be deeply surprised. When something's set in Vietnam, you know it isn't going to be all sweets and somewhere over the rainbow. Miss Saigon sets a powerful score over a heartbreaking plotline, which is likely to have the average audience member in tears by the end of the first act.

The cast and ensemble all give fine performances. Jennifer Hubilla is a charming, vulnerable, ...

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