“It’s hard to imagine a show more epic in scope or as visually exciting as Miss Saigon.

Tasmanians have waited longer than most for the chance to see this blockbuster on home turf, but our patience has been rewarded with a technically ambitious, ravishingly beautiful production that delivers a night of top-notch musical theatre.

In an inspired adaptation of Puccini’s Madam Butterfly, Claude-Michel Schonberg and Alain Boublil’s intensely dramatic score transports the action to 1970’s Vietnam.

Chris, an American GI (Scott Farrow) meets Vietnamese girl Kim (Tess Hansen) in a bar run by the wheeler-dealer Engineer.

A one-night stand blossoms into a love affair that is cut short by the urgent evacuation of Saigon, with devastating consequences.

In a show demanding many intricate scene changes, Robert Jarman’s scenery is arresting when conveying the grand sweep of events, and delicate in the more intimate gestures of this tragic story.

His masterful staging is ably supported by Bill Dowd’s imaginative design, and some impeccable work behind the scenes.

Casting in this show is spot on. Hansen’s slender frame and delicate composure belie her ability to belt when needed, though never at the expense of her sweet tone. She and Farrow are utterly convincing as the lovers, harmonising beautifully in the tender duets Sun and Moon, and Last Night of the World.

As the sleazy Engineer, Andrew Hickman’s razzle never once loses its dazzle and Nicole Simms is at her best as Chris’s American wife, Ellen, a difficult role carried off with aplomb.

Musical director Aaron Powell and his orchestra deserve special accolades, and there’s a depth of singing, acting and dancing talent through the entire company.

Sensational dance routines and costumes, and the most atmospheric sound and lighting effects make this Miss Saigon the full Broadway experience.

Bravo!”

Review by Ellie Court of The Mercury