‘Born in the USA (Leaving Vietnam’ – C Arts (studio), Edinburgh

This engrossing one man show tells the story of Jimmy Vandenburgh, a decorated marine who finds it difficult to come to terms with life after his military service in Vietnam War, and is swayed for a while by Trump.

Like many veterans, Jimmy still bears the mental scars of the War. “I died once in Vietnam, and once every day since then,” he tells us.

Although it’s nearly fifty years since the USA had to admit defeat and pull out of Vietnam, America itself – like Jimmy – is still scarred by that conflict in which nearly 60,000 Americans died – a huge total, though dwarfed by more than a million Vietnamese deaths (half of them civilians).

During the 1960s and 1970s, while the Vietnam War raged, America was more divided than perhaps at any time since the Civil War. But the USA is just as fractured now between supporters and opponents of the right wing populist politics of Donald Trump. With another Presidential election looming in November and Trump once again the Republican candidate, this is an opportune moment to revive this play, last seen in Edinburgh in 2022.

Former drama teacher Richard Vergette has not only written this fascinating one hour play but is the only performer. I was genuinely surprised by his English accent when he came out of character at the end of the show to say a few words to the audience. I had assumed he was American.

Jimmy hails from Michigan, a crucial swing state in the Presidential election. And his hometown is Dearborn, headquarters of the Ford Motor Company. Jimmy’s proud of working on the Ford Mustang, but now even though he’s “past the Bible age for dying”, he runs his own car maintenance business.

Jimmy tells us that a dead man came to visit him. We find out later that it’s actually the son of his former military comrade, a Mexican called Jesus El Dorado. One of the most searing moments in the play is when Jimmy describes the death of El Dorado when a blast tore off half his body.

Jimmy volunteered before the draft came in. He tells us there were incidents when the Vietcong gouged out the eyes of dead American soldiers. But he also admits that on one occasion he threatened to slit the throat of a Vietnamese woman he was questioning about the whereabouts of Vietcong soldiers. But he tells us he didn’t do that. He ‘just’ burnt her house down. Other Vietnamese civilians were not so lucky. Hundreds were killed in the infamous My Lai Massacre in 1968.

When Jimmy returns home after his military service, he finds that many people blame him and other vets for the war even though he says all he did was what he thought was right.

His girlfriend, Bernice, leaves him, saying they were young when they started a relationship, and they’re now very different. She’s also against the Vietnam War. Later they reconcile when a pregnant Bernice leaves her partner.

Jimmy is drawn to Trump’s populist politics even though Trump’s name is never mentioned. Jimmy wears a Make America Great Again hat, worries about immigrants and thinks Trump could do something for people like him.

Playwright Vergette has written a compelling play. And actor Vergette tells that story well. But for much of the time I found it difficult to warm to Jimmy.

Although Vergette’s performance was convincing and always watchable, the bitterness – sometimes self-pity – was relentless. But I saw the first performance.  Once he relaxes back into the role, he should be able to have a lighter touch at times which will result in a more nuanced performance.

But in the last section of the play Vergette’s acting was wonderful. Jimmy has mocked the Vietnam Memorial in Washington DC as arty, and has never seen it. But the son of his comrade Jesus persuades Jimmy to go there.

At the Memorial Jimmy becomes emotional when he sees the names of fallen comrades including Jesus. He cries. It’s a cathartic moment for Jimmy. And Vergette’s acting is genuinely moving. A brilliant performance.

Jimmy has an epiphany. He feels better now and realises that it was not a good idea for the USA  to go to war in Vietnam. America had no business being there in someone else’s country.

Jimmy ends his support for Trump, which pleases Bernice (now his wife).

Andy Jordan and Andrew Pearson direct the well-paced production. The simple set is stage-managed by Peter Milligan who’s also responsible for some original music.

This play deserves an hour of your time. Recommended.

Reviewer: Tom Scott

Reviewed: 31th July 2024

North West End UK Rating: