Vietgone 

Reviewed by Terry Morgan
East West Players
Through November 18 

RECOMMENDED 

Translating personal experiences or family history into theatre can be a tricky proposition. On the one hand, simply recounting events as they happened doesn’t necessarily create fascinating drama. On the other hand, fictionalizing things too much may betray the truth of the story. It’s a balancing act, and on top of that, one needs a good tale to tell. Thankfully, playwright Qui Nguyen has an amazing story to relate, and he expertly traverses the potential pitfalls of this genre with Vietgone, now receiving a superb production at East West Players.

In 1975 Arkansas, two Vietnamese people meet in a refugee camp. Quang (Paul Yen) was a pilot in the South Vietnamese air force who was forced to leave his wife and children behind when the Viet Cong took over the country. Tong (Sylvia Kwan) willingly left to escape the war and poverty, bringing her mother Huong (Jane Lui) with her. Quang and Tong immediately begin a physical relationship, which gradually deepens into something more. This relationship is tested, however, by Quang’s insistence on returning home to Vietnam to find his family.

Yen gives a charismatic performance as Quang. It’s a role that requires him not only to rap and enact choreographed fights but also to portray the elderly version of his character, which he does with graceful skill. Kwan is wryly humorous as the snarky Tong, portraying this prickly character with high energy and compassionate understanding. Lui is delightful as Huong, who dutifully attempts to shield her daughter from all male attention while simultaneously berating her for not being married. Scott Ly does great work as Quang’s buddy Nhan, who’s trying to talk his friend out of going back to Vietnam. Albert Park is terrific in multiple roles.

Director Jennifer Chang does a marvelous job, seamlessly switching from one time period to another. She also stages some impressive sequences — among them a fist fight that becomes a supercharged video-game/manga battle royale and a breezy romantic montage that references such films as Ghost and Forrest Gump. Kaitlyn Pietras and Jason H. Thompson’s scenic and projection design is vivid and creative — some of the best of their kind I’ve ever seen.

Nguyen’s writing is smart, compelling and funny. He takes pains to keep the show visually interesting and stylistically surprising, as in a sobering scene where a reunion for Tong becomes a bloody nightmare. He also introduces a viewpoint I’ve never encountered in theatre before – that of a Vietnamese man happy that America came to join the war, and frustrated by all the well-meaning young Americans back in the U.S. who kept apologizing for our country’s involvement. My only reservations concerning the show involve several rap portions that don’t really catch fire, and some of the dialogue, which is profane in a clearly deliberate (and amusing) way, yet undermines the authenticity of the characters.

Otherwise, this play is a very impressive achievement, and the current production at East West Players does it full justice.

David Henry Hwang Theater, 120 Judge John Aiso St., Los Angeles; Fri.-Sat., 8 p.m.; Sun., 2 p.m.; through Nov. 18. www.eastwestplayers.org. Running time: approximately 2 hours and 15 minutes, with one intermission.