‘It’s not every day you meet another Vietnam orphan’

“The Vietnam War and Operation Babylift is not something that many people – including myself – know an awful lot about,” Andy says.

“Part of bringing the play to the Fringe is to raise awareness of the historical event”, Barton says.

“People always say sorry when they find out you are adopted, and I always replied ‘Why? Don’t be sorry’.”

The show was originally performed in London as a full-length play of Barton’s personal experience but in bringing the show to the Fringe the creative team decided to give it a more Scottish focus.

Despite a life working with music, the play was Andy’s first experience in the theatre industry. He wrote original compositions for the play, while Barton is the lead and sole actor.

Andy and Barton were introduced to each other by a friend who was working on Barton’s surf film, Laura Cameron-Lewis, who became the play’s director.

Her husband Andrew Eaton-Lewis, then joined the Precious Cargo project as a producer to develop the script and find other orphans.

“I didn’t want it to be narcissistic,” Barton says.

“Now that it’s moulded with other orphans, it isn’t just my story, it’s more than that.”