Reincarnation Soup

Truly Magnificent

A one-person show is quite an ordeal on its own. However, being able to really take on the numerous characters with the pure stage presence Viet brings is something special. This show’s unique form of storytelling will move you - hopefully - to your core. Come see it if you are looking for a healthy balance of humor and gravitas. This is no mere single story.

Don't let this pass you on by

I had no clue what I was walking into when I attended this with a friend on a whim. I'm so glad I went. I don't usually like 1 person shows especially if I don't know the person personally. Second show I saw that was crying by the end. You cannot miss out on this one. I wanted more, but in a good way. Thanks for telling your story.

Masterful

This was a beautiful work of art. Funny. Emotional. Beautiful lights and simple and amazing sets nd use of costume. See. See. See.

Amazing performance, creative concept

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Amazing!

So glad I got to sneak this into my schedule last minute. This show is pure lovely. Viet Nguyen is an absolute delight! Funny, sad, intense, lighthearted, all of the things! I don't often give Fringe show standing ovations, but I sure did for this one.

Brilliant

A well performed and paced minimalist solo show speaking to experiences and culture outside my own. Definitely recommended!

TOP SHOW: Premier acting, script, costuming

Viet is a fabulous actor (facial expressions, accents, body language) and the script is A+. It was especially appropriate in our old Southern Theater for a 10pm show. Our only gripe: it took a minute to get used to his speaking style and we both felt like we missed the 'big picture,' though each vignette was engaging and thought provoking.

Raw and beautiful

A fantastic solo show! Collection of different stories and characters, all expertly portrayed -- Viet Nguyen is a true chameleon and sucked me in with every character. Humor and heart are present in every moment of the show -- be warned, the stories go to deep and dark places at times. If the description sounds interesting to you, it is absolutely worth your time. Highly recommended!

Starting with the best

I was moved by so many of the vignettes in this play. I could see each of the characters, whether an old man, a young boy, an older woman. The framework of waiting in a line in hell tied the individual parts together. This is Fringe at its best!

Wow

Was rapt through the entire show and speechless at the end. A one man show at its finest.

Phenomenal script, excellent storyteller

This review is from seeing show #3. In one sentence: Rarely do you witness an acting-only solo show filled with such gusto, honesty, and prose without apology. In three sentences: This production puts a minimalist, creative spin on visiting culture-based vignettes illustrating what happens before reincarnation. The scriptwriting is some of the best I’ve heard in years, but the Fringer’s acting sits barely below that quality, at times taking you out of the anecdotes being shared. However, this is a must see to experience a prime example of not needing much to gain long-lasting, timeless perspectives.

waves of emotion paired balanced with laughter

this show was great! the writing, acting, and scene work were all equally well done! that is not easy to pull off. very well done! don't skip this one.

History & Artistry combined .. VERY IMPRESSIVE!

I gathered a new empathic view of the survivors, victims & refugees of war from this creative collection of deeply personal vignettes deftly woven together.. Yet it was not depressing.. It was impeccably crafted & staged: his attire, bkgrd sounds, body language & facial expressions were perfect..So polished & lovely! ..conceived w care & well-rehearsed; not at all contrived.. beautiful flow.. Extremely Impressive! (Note: sit close to absorb all dialogue & nuances.. I have old ears)

Beautiful performance

This actor does a really stunning job and I'm so grateful I saw the show. Viet is brings both levity and gravity to his many characters. Thank you for the vulnerable and masterful performance.

I hope the ocean carries my name back to you

So, I’m a word nerd, and this show had lines, like the title of this review, that made my little heart sing. Beautiful. On top of that, Viet is a fantastic character actor. Each character’s story was a pearl delicately strung on a necklace. I also loved the moments of stillness and silence. Thank you, Viet, for bringing this show to Minnesota! I would love to see more of your work.

A must see!

This was the first show I saw this year, and it set a very high bar for the rest of the Fringe. Utterly compelling, beautifully staged, and brilliantly acted, Reincarnation Soup is humane, humorous, deep, and wholly original.

Strong Performance

I came into the theater on Friday night a bit distracted and struggling to focus, but the strong performance kept pulling me back into the stories the performer was telling. Because of this, I don't think I appreciated the content in the show as much as I should/could have, but the strong perforamce was impossible to miss. I wish I had the opportunity to go back and watch this a second time.

You made me cry in a very good way.

The stories ranged from funny to tragic, with each character played beautifully and convincingly.

Hey, look, another Viet performer at Fringe, nice

I found out about this show after my second show at Fringe. This is my first year not only performing in a Fringe show but also plunging myself into the Fringe gauntlet of shows outside of my otherwise busy week. But this is not Viet's first Fringe rodeo, and it really, really, REALLY showed. The man is a work horse for snapping his stable of characters and vignettes out of the ghostly ether into our rapt view. Yes, at times the pacing of his monologues, in tandem with his speaking style and the quick clip at which the vignettes flow into one another in an otherwise down-dressed stage, made it a mild challenge to stay abreast of the details of each character's backdrop preceding their purgatory state. And yet, Viet's agile and dynamic performance style will keep your eyes glued to him as he flies across the stage and through vignette after vignette. Very cool to see such an accomplished Viet performer, at Fringe or anywhere. It warms my immigrant 2nd gen heart. Written by Tri Vo, performer in Coyfish.

Good Vietnamese Stand-up

Stories about immigration and live.