Toronto Fringe Review: A Perfect Bowl of Pho

A Perfect Bowl of Pho, written by Nam Nguyen and composed by Wilfred Moetscher, is a musical that spans time; tone; settings; and styles, all while constantly critiquing itself. Given its large scope, it had the high possibility of being cluttered and unfocused, but it’s quite a cohesive show. 

This show is filled with delightful contradictions. On the surface, it’s about food as a shorthand for culture and history. It relishes in this theme, while questioning its depth. The show is irreverent and self-aware but careful to not sacrifice sincerity in the process. It doesn’t shy away from themes like intergenerational trauma, war, racism, and “gastro-colonialism” but explores them without pandering.

The show is very well performed. The musical direction (by Kevin Vuong); band; and acting ensemble were all at their best. On a more granular level, I noticed many interesting musical details – ambient noise and side effects by the band – and felt the actors showed exceptional comedic timing and cue biting.  Of note are performances by Chris Vergara, Kryslyne-Mai Ancheta, and Honey Pham. 

Indeed, I found myself marvelling about how polished the production is, especially for a Fringe show. I didn’t know much about it going in, but after leaving the theatre I learned it’s had no fewer than two runs prior to this one, and that the script was published last year. New songs were added to this production, but it isn’t exactly nascent in the way many others at Fringe are. 

My curiosity about that doesn’t take away from how much I enjoyed the performance, and I still feel it’s a must see. 

A Perfect Bowl of Pho is on now until July 17 as part of the 2022 Toronto Fringe Festival.
Find show times and tickets here.