Miss Saigon returns to the West End!
by Best of Theatre Staff on Wednesday 3 July 2013, 2:53 pm in Upcoming and New Shows
The worst kept secret in theatreland has finally been confirmed by legendary producer Cameron Mackintosh – Miss Saigon is set to return to the West End, and will play at the Prince Edward Theatre.
Based on a love story set during the American occupation of Saigon during the Vietnam War, Miss Saigon was one of the West End’s most successful shows when it had its world premiere and ran at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane from 1989 to 1999. Fifteen years on, director Laurence Connor will bring the epic musical to life once more.
Producer Cameron Mackintosh said on the release of the news: “If anything, the tragic love story of Miss Saigon has become even more relevant today. In the last 25 years, our country has become involved in similar wars in Iraq and Afghanistan in the way we weren’t in Vietnam, and the American Dream has been buffeted by the reality of recent history. The new production has taken a more gritty and realistic approach to the design than the operatic original, but still delivers the power and epic sweep of Boublil and Schönberg’s great score.”
Composer Claude-Michel Schönberg and lyricist Alain Boublil recently wrote a powerful new song called ‘Maybe’ for the role of Ellen to sing in the second act, which has been included in the recent Dutch and Japanese productions, but London audiences will be the first to hear the song in English.
As well as being the greatest success ever to play at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane and have an incredibly successful Broadway run, Miss Saigon has also been performed in 28 countries, in over 300 cities in 15 different languages, has won over 40 awards including two Olivier, three Tony and four Drama Desk Awards and been seen by over 35 million people worldwide.
Miss Saigon is booking from 9 September 2013. Watch this space for tickets to experience this epic tale of romance and heartbreak at the Prince Edward Theatre.