The waning days of the Vietnam War, refugees leaving their lives behind—it’s the stuff of sobering news stories, right? Not always. In this brash new comedy, three young Vietnamese immigrants make their way through the bewildering landscape of 1970s America, a land filled with incomprehensible language, awkward customs, and a canvas as big as a Hollywood movie. At turns hilarious, profane, exuberant, and unexpectedly touching, Vietgone uses audacious dialogue, pop culture and an action-packed road trip to breathe life into the stories of these strangers in a strange land.
Vietgone was commissioned and first produced by South Coast Repertory with support from the Time Warner Foundation.
Suitability suggestion: Vietgone contains consistent strong profanity, sexual dialogue and sexuality. This humorous and warmhearted look at a seminal moment in American history, seen from a Vietnamese perspective, may be best suited to mature high school students who are able to handle the adult nature of the play.
Theatrical fog, herbal or e-cigarettes, strobe lights and the sound of gunshots and explosions may be used in this production.