A world premiere season telling the story of some of Adelaide’s adoptees from Vietnam is showing as part of the 2025 Adelaide Fringe. Highlighting the quintessential nature of the Fringe’s open access policy, this indie production is polished, complex, and moving.

As the fiftieth anniversary of the end of the Vietnam war approaches, this timely show reflects on the lasting impact of this war on the children and babies who were taken from their home country.

Operation Babylift saw the migration, adoption, and ultimate identity-reshaping of over 3000 children during the final month of this war in April 1975. It is estimated that 250 were sent to Australia, joining hundreds of babies, including me, who were adopted to Australia prior to the official airlift.

The complexities of Vietnamese adoptees’ powerful journeys are thoughtfully and compellingly introduced by charismatic narrator Barton Williams. Sharing his own personal journey as a baby lift adoptee raised in the eastern suburbs of Adelaide, the show’s mastermind Williams impactfully uses poetry and spoken word to deliver an elegant performance.

Supported with humanity by Eddie Morrison and Krystal Cave playing Williams’ adoptive parents, Williams’ childhood is shown as one navigating racism, questions of identity, and well-meaning but imperfect nurturing.

What emerges is a sense of a fragile, yet also resilient individuality and complex, yet also clear belonging. Complemented by evocative dances from young performers Calin and Arwen – I particularly found the second dance extremely well executed and moving.

Other Adelaide Vietnamese adoptees voices are also heard and the stories of Saran Chamberlain, Kim Catford, and Chantal Doecke add to conveying the complex narrative of the impact that war can have on so many lives.

The production cleverly intertwines a meta-narrative about those last devastating days of the Vietnam war via archival footage and photos when desperate South Vietnamese attempted to flee the advancing northern forces.

Set design is astutely minimalistic yet extremely impactful and the production is intelligently and compellingly delivered.

For a thought-provoking and timely experience, get along to see Fragile: handle with care.