Summer Rolls is a
play of firsts: the first British-Vietnamese play to be staged in the UK and
the debut play from actress Tuyen Do. Influenced by her British-Vietnamese
roots, the play is a collision of East meets West that puts a new spin on the
familiar.
In many ways, this is a kitchen sink drama, with its
domestic setting and exploration of political ideas. But there’s a distinct Vietnamese
twist. The plot follows the Nguyen family, refugee immigrants struggling to fit
into British society. The Vietnam War haunts their past and colours their
future. They long for a better life away from the grip of communism, yet cling
to a sense of pride in their roots despite a traumatic past.
At the centre is daughter Mai (Anna Nguyen), struggling with
her identity. She’s scolded by her mother when she speaks English though she
struggles with Vietnamese; she’s forced to help with the family’s clothing
business, though she’d rather be independent and spend time with her black
British boyfriend David (Keon Martial-Philip) (something her racist parents disagree with). Nguyen’s performance
encapsulates the character’s disorientation, flitting between two languages and
the physicality of youthful subjugation and maturity.
The Vietnamese tropes may seem familiar, but here they’re
presented with authenticity. Alongside family values, the importance of
education and familial shame, there’s the conflict between the genders. The
women moan and rant, yet are constantly working; the men are cool-headed
negotiators given the privilege of play. That’s typified by Linh-Dan Pham as
Mai’s mother, whose bitter tongue balances humour and authority. There are
twists too about the family’s past, a son (Michael Phong Le) himself struggling
to find a suitable career, and family friend Mr Dinh (David Lee-Jones) who
seems to have some shady involvement.
There’s a lot going on, then, and in the first half
especially the narrative sets up multiple story threads and themes that are not
all fully explored. The second half focuses more clearly on Mai’s struggle to
be her authentic self, though it skims through time too swiftly in an effort to
wrap things up neatly.
Nicola Chang’s sound design captures both cultures in her
evocative score and Do’s mix of languages, idioms and references in the script mirrors
the cultural clash. This family saga is small in setting, vast in scope, and captivating to the
end.
3/5
Watch: Summer Rolls runs
at the Park Theatre until 13th July.
Photos: Danté Kim
