Prince Edward Theatre

One of the mega musicals of the 1980s, see this epic revival with Miss Saigon tickets

Claude-Michel Schönberg and Alain Boublil’s world famous musical, Miss Saigon, has flown back into the West End to the Prince Edward Theatre following a 15 year hiatus. Having originally opened at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane in September 1989, the show ran for 10 years before embarking upon an extensive world tour. Combined with its worldwide success, Miss Saigon has won 2 Laurence Olivier Awards and 3 Tony Awards, making it one of the most successful musicals ever.

By Les Miserables creators Schönberg and Boubil, Miss Saigon draws influence from Puccini’s Madame Butterfly and similarly features the star-crossed relationship between an American man and Asian woman. In this instance the American man is GI Chris Scott who is based in Vietnam during the 1970s war and the Asian woman a young bar worker come party girl, Kim.

Along with his soldier friends, Chris finds himself in the prostitute club in which Kim works, wherein his friend John buys Kim as a present for Chris for an evening from “The Engineer,” an aspirational pimp brought in by the American Dream. Kim gives up her virginity to Chris, who decides he wants Kim to himself and the two swear their love to one another.

Just as Viet Cong prepares to take Saigon, Chris trades the Engineer for Kim, with the intention of marrying her. However complications arise in the form of Kim’s cousin Thuy, to whom she was betrothed some years earlier. Chris promises to take Kim away from Vietnam when he leaves…but can he fulfil his promise?

Miss Saigon features musical numbers “The Heat is On in Saigon,” “Sun and Moon,” “I Still Believe” and “The American Dream.” The show is regarded as one of the ‘mega musicals’ of the 1980s, famed for its lavish sets and huge orchestral score, also included in the list are Les Miserables at the Sondheim Theatre and The Phantom of the Opera at Her Majesty’s Theatre.

Miss Saigon opened for previews at the Prince Edward Theatre in May 2014.

Child Friendly

Miss Saigon features sex and violence and is therefore not suitable for children.