Miss Saigon

Birmingham Hippodrome

Until September 6

Cameron Mackintosh's critically acclaimed musical hit the Hippodrome on Tuesday night and proved it was well worth the hype.

The ultimate tragic love story, with a breathtaking musical score, Miss Saigon follows the life of 17-year-old Vietnamese girl, Kim, who falls in love with an American GI during the Vietnam War.

Their first encounter in 1975 is in the not-so-romantic surroundings of a brothel, where Kim is working her first night as a prostitute and Chris is preparing to leave Vietnam.

Working alongside hordes of other young girls, desperate to escape their war-torn country and find a new life in America, Kim's plight provides a simultaneously heart-warming and heart-breaking glimpse into a world of unconditional love and false hope.

The plot was thick with energy and intrigue and provided an action-packed dose of murder, laughter and tears.

In any other production Leo Tavarro Valdez's performance as the engineer would probably have stolen the show, but the cast as a whole was outstanding.

This, combined with a brilliant orchestra, superb special effects and above all magnificent songs, made Miss Saigon the best musical I have seen all year.

See it if you can - it's not often Birmingham is treated to such a musical masterpiece.

BH