Rolling Thunder Returns

Depicting the Vietnam War from a uniquely Australian perspective, the rock drama Rolling Thunder Vietnam returns from April 2023 for an extended national tour of 14 cities. Based on letters written by Vietnam Veterans, Rolling Thunder Vietnam fuses a live band, audio visuals and a dialogue with the audience. First staged in 2014, a planned 2020 revival was derailed by Covid after just a handful of performances in Geelong. The show’s writer Bryce Hallett discusses the new production.

What sort of response has Rolling Thunder Vietnam had from Vietnam Veterans?

It’s struck a chord with veterans and their families, not just the familiar songs that played on the radio in the late ‘60s and early ‘70s but the authentic nature of the piece. Many times, after a performance, Veterans open up and share their experiences of the war, and it’s been heartening that the production can serve as a catalyst and a tonic. During the encore, the actors salute our Veterans and immediately you can tell it means a lot to them, and to the entire audience.

What is the bedrock of the show?

The stories and the way the show is structured: conscription, combat, protest, homecoming. The storytelling springs from face-to-face interviews with the Vets, lots of research and reams of letters penned by young soldiers and their loved ones – especially their mothers – back home.

The rock drama is unusual in that it brings renowned musicians – including those from the John Farnham Band – together with young singers and actors, some of whom are just starting out. How do they work together?

Having the different generations is among the production’s most appealing aspects. To do justice to these great, enduring rock songs we have experienced, masterful musicians, who have worked previously with John Farnham and Jon Stevens. Generally, the cast needs to be young, or at least exude youthfulness, to convey the sacrifice, the waste, the tragic loss of young lives in war.

Tom Oliver has been with Rolling Thunder Vietnam since the beginning. He plays the country boy Johnny who joins the army for some adventure. To what extent has Tom made the role his own?

Tom came to notice on The Voice when Kylie Minogue picked him for her team. He’s a natural in the role of Johnny, not just the larking but his energy and charisma on stage. Tom’s done two national tours and his performance has deepened. He really puts his heart and soul on the line. Audiences genuinely come to care about the character and his plight.

And you have some new cast members.

The charismatic Christian Charisiou recently seen in the Wedding Singer is Andy.  The multi-talented Brittanie Shipway is Sarah.

The Vietnam War, described by some as “the rock ‘n’ roll war”, fueled numerous classic rock and protest songs. Rolling Thunder features about 20 of these. How did you pick the songs?

It was challenging as the ‘60s and ‘70s were such a fertile time for songwriters and musicians. A number of the songs were in the script from the first draft – ‘Fortunate Son’, ‘All Along The Watchtower’, ‘The Letter’, ‘People Get Ready’, ‘Killing Me Softly With His Song’ and ‘Bridge Over Troubled Water’. The director David Berthold, ever the dramaturg, would say, “Yes, that’s a good song but … has it earned its place in the show?” It soon became apparent that the song choices were dictated by the storytelling. The magic of it all is that the songs serve the drama and vise-versa.

What do you think are some of the show’s musical highlights?

There’s a blistering ‘All Along The Watchtower’, performed with great energy by both the cast and musicians, including a guitar solo that’s out of this world. The end of the first act is aching and beautiful, one of the best renditions of ‘Help Me Make It Through The Night’ that you’ll ever hear. Then there’s Marvin Gaye’s soulful and searching ‘What’s Going On?’, the potent ‘Paint It Black’ and a rousing version of ‘We’ve Gotta Get Out of This Place’ – a song that became akin to an anthem for the Veterans.

What are audiences moved by?

When the soldiers arrive in such an alien landscape as the jungles of Vietnam, amid danger and peril, there’s a restless energy and a palpable sense of dread that makes you think and wonder. The love story between Johnny and Sarah is keenly felt through the shared intimacies of their letter exchanges. ‘Help Me Make It Through The Night’ is a cliff-hanger in which characters are taken to a precipice of not knowing what the future holds. In the second act, the speech of Martin Luther King is spine-tingling; the seduction and release of ‘Black Magic Woman’ is both humorous and surreal, and the scene featuring ‘Bridge Over Troubled Water’ is emotional given how the conflict has upended lives.

The Vietnam War was the world’s first televised war. The images on TV and in newspapers were stark and graphic. What effect did that have?

It brought the horror of war straight into people’s living rooms. The politicians could say one thing, but ordinary Australians and Americans were able to see and judge for themselves. The confronting images inspired songwriters and musicians, it influenced the swelling protest movement and the crusaders and civil rights’ leaders who sought an end to the oppression and violence.

How relevant is the show to today’s audiences?

What’s that saying, “history keeps repeating …” The anti-war songs in the show are communal and stirring, and universal. They speak as much to past generations as they do to the present. Songs such as ‘War’ and ‘Eve of Destruction’ are vivid and forceful, they don’t hold back. The war in the Ukraine, combined with the challenges and uncertainties of today’s world, makes Rolling Thunder Vietnam not only relevant but perhaps more urgent that ever. Ultimately, the show is a plea for peace.

How have audiences responded?

They seem to be thoroughly immersed in the show. They laugh, they cry and sometimes sit in stunned silence. It’s a very moving experience and, for many, the songs provide a chance to almost relive the excitement, passion, and discovery of that era. By the end, everyone’s up on their feet having a rollicking good time.

What is your pitch to teachers and students?

Its major themes of social disruption, courage, mateship and resilience provide valuable insights for students and school groups about the nature of war and its relevance to the uncertainty of modern times, particular the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war and its devastation and loss. Young people today can easily identify with the sentiments of the conscripted digger Andy: “I don’t hate anybody; what has any of this got to do with me?”

Rolling Thunder Vietnam is on stage in five states from April 15 to June 10, 2023.

https://www.rollingthundervietnam.com

Photogrrapher: Lachlan Douglas (@somefx)