CAMERON Mackintosh's Miss Saigon opened in London in 1989 where it was a hit for 10 years.

A newly revamped production is touring the UK, playing at Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff until July 9.

Boublil & Schonberg's score has not been tampered with that much.

And if you haven't ventured to Cardiff to see this striking new arts centre, then that in itself is worth the trip.

The auditorium is shaped like the inside of the rugby ball, and I couldn't decide whether I thought the stage was too big or too small - it was difficult to see the actor's faces either way.

The moody lighting, reminiscent of the seedy side of Saigon, probably didn't help.

Jon Jon Briones has performed in Miss Saigon all over the world, beginning with Cameron Mackintosh's original London cast. As the Engineer he pulls the show together both in terms of pace and stature - you really get a feel of the big time in his performance.

Miriam Valmores-Marasigan is also a Miss Saigon veteran, having played the role of Kim first in Sydney, Australia and then the UK. Her understated, powerful performance is self-contained and moving.

Other strong performances come from Hugh Maynard as John (Chris's friend and colleague) and Kerry Ellis as Ellen (Chris's wife).

Hundreds of hours of technical expertise have gone into making this production work in smaller venues, taking Miss Saigon to parts it could otherwise not reach.

There are spectacular set pieces - The American Dream; The Morning of the Dragon; The Fall of Saigon - and new theatrical tricks to excite.

The helicopter certainly features - not as you may expect, though no less thrilling for it.

Limited tickets are available on 08700 40 2000. The next show at WMC is Thoroughly Modern Millie starring Lesley Joseph (July 26- August 20).

Julie Harries