Vietgone NYC Reviews and Tickets
Member Reviews (196)
See it if you like shows that help you see something you thought you knew from an entirely new perspective. Great staging. Clever. Funny. A MUST SEE!
Don't see it if ??? Can't think of any reason to not see this enlightening and entertaining show. I know it's a cliché but-I laughed. I cried. I loved it.
See it if You like serious themes presented in a campy way. It's a historical drama, comic book, romantic comedy, and rap musical. (!)
Don't see it if The combination of styles seemed a bit incongruous at first, but it grew on me. Read more
See it if you remember the 60's and are willing to reevaluate your memories with a joyous life affirming musical combing period songs and Asian hiphop
Don't see it if you find staged intimacy and crude language offensive.
See it if you like great sets and unusual storytelling and direction; you want a dose of humor with your war stories; touching, well acted ending.
Don't see it if it bothers you that much of the play's direction and acting are over the top and often cartoonish. Read more
See it if The topic interests you.
Don't see it if Even though it is an important story, the play feels disjointed and I found it hard to care about the characters. Read more
See it if War's tragic outcome seen from perspective of S. Vietnamese helicopter pilot. Hijinx in relocation camp could not be funnier. Hip-hop, too
Don't see it if Uncomfortable denunciations of anti-war correctness. Raymond Lee & Jennifer Ikeda lead a stellar cast. Clever use of contemporary language.
See it if The antithesis of Miss Saigon: strong, sex-positive Asian female who doesn't need a man makes it in America and chooses a heroic Asian man.
Don't see it if Vietnam War is triggering. Discomfort with flipping meek Asian archetypes / stereotypes. Dislike refugees. Read more
See it if You like to have your assumptions challenged, like plays w historical reference, appreciate clever staging/projections, like work by MTC.
Don't see it if You don't like rap, loud music/sounds, don't like work about different cultures or experiences, not interested in a new POV about Vietnam. Read more
Critic Reviews (38)
"Nguyen is clearly a playwright with an inventive mind, and while 'Vietgone' has many pleasures—including jazzy comic performances from an excellent cast, under May Adrales’ direction—it suffers from a lack of discipline...The flippant tone of 'Vietgone' does sometimes pall...The play ends with an immensely moving scene...The laughter subsides; the play’s flaws recede; and we are left with a resonantly ambiguous picture of the manner in which wars have an indelible impact on individual lives."
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"The freshest, most exuberantly youthful piece I’ve seen at MTC in ages...Adrales’ high-octane staging moves so swiftly and surely, you may not initially appreciate the buckets of stagecraft she and Nguyen throw at us scene after scene...It's the immigrant narrative, but told with disarming frankness and humor—plus a roadside throwdown involving rednecks and ninjas. I cannot emphasize enough what a versatile and lovable cast this is."
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"The playwright and director May Adrales have collaborated to deliver a wildly fun, imaginative production. Not all of it works, and the play itself could benefit from some trimming. But individual elements are terrific, such as the Vietnamese characters speaking in flawless English while the Americans talk with an exaggerated, ungrammatical drawl...In the terrific ensemble, Lee and Ikeda display sizzling chemistry and formidable comic chops."
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"An original, affectionate and often funny tribute to the playwright’s parents...The love story develops along the usual lines, although it’s evident that neither the playwright nor his director want to be considered conventional. One drawback are the song, set to original music, but still obdurately ordinary. The lyrics only repeat things we already know from the dialogue...Whatever re-writes Nguyen might have in mind for this play, he’d be wise to start by tossing out the tunes."
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"Part playful, part deadly serious, Qui Nguyen takes aim at both Baby Boomers and Millennials alike in his innovative new work and hits both targets...Nguyen has structured the piece very cleverly, and has given every audience demographic a sympathetic way into the story, ably assisted by his creative team...The play challenges the political views we’ve clung to for decades...He might make us think, but the thought is delivered or followed with a laugh, and that feeling of connection."
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"Qui Nguyen’s ode to his parents' history takes an unruly approach to a how-I-met-your-mother tale...Theatricality abounds: the fourth wall falls, Saigon falls too, cartoony ninjas kick into action, rap songs underscore everything. Except for the simplistic songs that stop the play in its tracks, it clicks."
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"Beautifully conveyed through director May Adrales' unapologetically theatrical staging, 'Vietgone' makes you believe that epic tales of heroism and loss exist all around us in this nation of immigrants...The personal nature of the play and a structural refinement in Nguyen's writing results in an emotional resonance unprecedented in his work...Nguyen's clear-eyed recognition of the realities of war is rare, refreshing, and definitely speaks to a dramatist who has matured…but not too much."
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"In its admirable insistence on overturning the usual pieties and insisting that the Vietnamese refugees who populate the play are not helpless victims in a racist America, the play can sometimes be sophomoric, even grating. Then again, when the author's voice is this fresh and funny, how can one complain too much?...Under Adrales' fast-paced, often buoyant direction, the cast proves to be excellent company...'Vietgone' has become surprisingly moving, its many excesses notwithstanding."
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