Vietgone Play Analysis

Qui Nguyen’s Vietgone is a contemporary and modern twist on the classic boy meets girl story. Based on the real life experiences of his parents, Nguyen intertwines his comedic style with the tragic reality that refugees of war must face, and creates a story that allows the tragedy of the survivors of the Vietnam War to becomes accessible to a modern American audience. Director Jamie Castaneda and the American Conservatory Theatre brings this production to life in San Francisco, where a blend of technology, hip-hop, and an all-Asian cast crew brings justice to a story often untold. The play mainly follows two refugees who manage to find love despite their circumstances. However, beyond the tale of two unlikely lovers is a story about dealing …show more content…
Rather than utilizing massive background props, or having a narrator announce a transition in the scene, this production cut out the lights and displayed the new location and time shift in bold yellow font. Immediately following this transition would be a projection of real-life photographs that reflected the scenery, from the rural and cold military base in Saigon, Vietnam, to a rustic, western stop in Amarillo, Texas. The use of projections as the background setting enabled the audience to be taken along for a ride, giving them a glimpse of the multiplicity and complexity of the journey the Vietnamese refugees experienced. The use of real-life photographs also highlights the reality of the experiences of these refugees. While the story may have been exaggerated for comedic effect, the sense of loss and tumultuous journey these refugees underwent in order to find a place to call home is an undeniable reality. The faster pacing of the play, enabled by the use of projections as backgrounds and transitional tools, keeps the audience engaged and gives them little time to reflect on previous scenes, much like how the Vietnamese refugees can hardly look back because they are forced to move forward in order to