A STANDING ovation greeted the cast at the end of what can only be described as a stunning opening night for Miss Saigon at the Birmingham Hippodrome.

It was well deserved. From the opening chords to the final note, the audience was treated to three hours of pure theatrical joy.

This show is one of the most popular and successful ever and is a phenomenon the world over.

Composers Alain Boublil and Claude-Michel Schonberg were inspired to write after seeing a picture of a Vietnamese mother putting her daughter on a plane bound for the states, where her GI father was waiting. She knew she would never see her child again.

Their score is beautiful and Richard Maltby's lyrics are superb.

And the design team has clearly pulled out all the stops for this Birmingham production - the costumes and set are flawless and the quality is amazing.

The story centres around Kim, a Vietnamese prostitute who meets and falls in love with GI Chris in 1975 Saigon.

But their love is ripped apart during the fall of the city and Chris is forced to leave Kim behind.

The story catches up with them both three years later when they are finally reunited - with tragic consequences.

Kim is played by Ima Castro, a tiny woman with a big voice and stunning beauty.

She brings a perfect innocence to the role of the young, naive village girl who finds herself caught up in the sordid world of Saigon's sleazy nightlife.

Her voice is pure and confident and is a perfect match for David Shannon.

Shannon plays an heroic Chris, a man torn between the conflict of the horror of war and the love of Kim.

His voice is strong and full of expression as he struggles to understand events surrounding him - he is as much a victim as any other character.

Their duets are brilliant and the scenes they share are beautifully touching.

But the star of the show is The Engineer, played by Leo Tavarro Valdez.

A pimp, scoundrel and all-round bad egg, he nonetheless manages to bring much-needed humour and a certain charm to the role.

One can't help but feel sorry for him as the one thing he lives for and dreams of - a life in the US - slips through his fingers.

His rendition of The American Dream is fantastic, a real show stopper.

Hugh Maynard's Bui Doi sent shivers down the spine and Cornilla Luna gave a good performance as Ellen.

The whole ensemble cast was excellent and the evening was an unforgettable experience.

The show runs until September 6, although tickets are selling fast. Don't miss the chance to see this production.

SARAH CROSS