In a press statement announcing the show's return, producer Cameron Mackintosh stated, "I find it hard to believe that it is already 25 years since I first premiered Miss Saigon in London, where it became the greatest success ever in the long history of the Drury Lane Theatre and went on to be a phenomenal success around the world."
He went on to say: "Ten years ago I decided to reconceive the show in a completely re-imagined physical production that could play a far greater number of theatres than the original but still retains Bob Avian’s legendary musical staging and the same scale of cast. As well as touring the UK with enormous success the new production directed by Laurence Connor has been seen in numerous countries around the world where it has been embraced by audiences and critics alike with as much enthusiasm as the original."
He added: "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."
He concluded, "Of all my shows Miss Saigon is probably the one I have the most requests to bring back. For some years I have been waiting for the perfect theatre to house the new production. These requests are not only from a public who remembers seeing it originally but from a generation of new audiences who were too young (or not even born!) to get to see it. Now that the very successful Jersey Boys has decided to move to a more intimate theatre I now have the perfect theatre – The Prince Edward."
The production features a new song "Maybe" for the character of Ellen to sing in the second act that was previously included in Dutch and Japanese productions of the show and will make its U.K. premiere in London. Miss Saigon has music by Claude-Michel Schönberg with lyrics by Richard Maltby Jr. and Alain Boublil, adapted from original French lyrics by Boublil. This new production will be directed by Laurence Connor with musical staging by Bob Avian and additional choreography by Geoffrey Garratt, production design by Totie Driver and Matt Kinley from an original concept by Adrian Vaux, costume design by Andreane Neofitou, orchestrations by William David Brohn, lighting design by Bruno Poet and sound design by Mick Potter.
To book tickets, contact the box office on 0844 482 5155, or visit www.miss-saigon.com.