Vietgone, feats of strength

Strength is a unifying theme of Vietgone, a co-production of Pork Filled Players and SIS Productions now playing at Theatre Off Jackson.
The setting is 1970s Vietnam, Arkansas and roads, deserts and oceans in between. The story follows the lives of four people forced to flee or evacuate to Fort Chaffee from Saigon after the military collapse there. Everyone seems caught in circumstances calling for impossible choices.
Quang, a helicopter pilot in the South Vietnamese army, along with his fellow soldier Nhan has flown many, many evacuees – among them mother and daughter Huong and Tong – to the safety of a US aircraft carrier. Quang plans to refuel and immediately fly back to save his wife and two young children. He’s informed, though, that the chopper has been pushed over the side to make room for planes to take off and land. Instead of going home, he’s relocated to the refugee camp at Fort Chaffee. But Quang is determined to return to Vietnam to rescue his wife and children
Tong and her mother find themselves in Fort Chaffee also. Tong, an employee of the US embassy, knowing the consequences of being caught by the North Vietnamese, has little choice but to flee. She convinces her mother Huong to go with her but her brother insists on staying. She also leaves behind a sad sack suitor but it seems she has little feeling for him. For Tong, being strong seems to mean not getting too close.
Quang stays at Fort Chaffee only long enough to repair an old motorcycle he finds – and long enough to meet and develop feelings for Tong. But as a husband and a father, he cannot let that interfere with his plans. With Nhan on the back of the refurbished bike, they hit the road for California where they hope to hop the next ship to Vietnam to be the hero his family needs – or that he expects himself to be.
The feelings are mutual, but Tong still thinks she needs to protect herself and her mother. Being strong means making the safest bet.
It’s striking how enjoyable the two lead actors are. Josh Erme as Quang drops effortlessly into the role. “That’s that guy, I know that guy,” you will think. Megan Hyunh as Tong projects an aura, more of a zone of control (to borrow a term from an old tabletop war game) or maybe a tractor beam that just draws you in.
The two have great chemistry in their scenes together. And they bounce and mesh with the other actors as well. For Erme this is primarily with Hank Tian as Nhan, who plays a sort of wise fool. Hyunh has great scenes with Wendy Chinn as feisty and colorful mom, Huong. Van Lang Pham plays multiple roles, standing out as a bigot biker, a stoner hippie and as the playwright (it makes sense.)
Both leads also get to rap. The songs give our eyes a window into the characters' souls. What would take pages of dialogue or exposition is blasted out in fiery tongues of rhyme and reason. It’s just right.
Vietgone has elements of a road movie, a buddy picture, a musical, a war epic, all structured around a rom-com frame. So you know, or you're pretty sure anyway, that Quang and Trong are going to get together eventually. But it’s not until they figure out what strength really is.

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