Vietgone

So often we hear stories about the end of the American war in Vietnam that focus on the experiences of shell-shocked American soldiers returning to a country they don't quite understand anymore. But this ain't your typical play about the legacy of that war. Directed by May Adrales and produced in association with Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Qui Nguyen's geeky, formally adventurous, and energetic love story centers on the lives of two Vietnamese immigrants as they travel around the US learning the language and navigating the complexities of refugee camps. Los Angeles Times theater critic Charles McNulty says the play won him over with its innovative use of music and language, but also "with its simple honesty." RICH SMITH