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").

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 toot 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. Miriam Valmores Marasigan is a charming, vulnerable, tragic Kim, and Steven Houghton a likable, faintly naïve Chris. Hugh Maynard gives a strong supporting performance as John, the rough-and-tumble marine turned Bui Doi charity worker. The outstanding performance, however, comes from Jon Jon Briones, as the Engineer - the opportunistic, unapologetic rogue. It is a role he knows well, having played it in the original London cast, and he performs with a zest and a vigour that is quite infectious.

Visually, the show is excellent. The sets are effective, and are used in fluid, and often remarkably creative ways (the way in which two stock sets of barbed wire fencing become an entire embassy compound during Kim's nightmare is particularly striking).Good use is also made of video - again during Kim's nightmare the appearance of the helicopter is projected onto a screen, which, when combined with the appropriate sound effects, seems remarkably real. The American Dream is accompanied by a wonderful animation by Gerald Scarfe (who also provided animation for The Wall by Pink Floyd, and the title sequence to Yes, Minister ).

The songs are, by turns, powerful, catchy, funny and affecting. The cast are all in fine voice and the orchestra is certainly earning its wages. Strong use is made of duets sung across great distances - Kim and Ellen, for example, sing two halves of a duet from opposite sides of the globe.

The pacing is a little unusual - things seem to happen very quickly, and the ending is extremely abrupt. Partly, this is a universal artefact of the musical genre - a four minute song can potentially substitute for twenty minutes of screen time - It is also simply a reflection of the fact that events in the play unfold very quickly, that being the nature of war.

The bottom line: should you go and see this show? Yes, assuming you fall into the group of people who actually like musicals. If you have never got on with the genre, then give it a miss. If you like a good show, then give Miss Saigon a whirl. Just be sure to bring a hankie.

Daniel Hemmens 10/12/04