"Recaptures both the black comedy and the bottomless tragedy of Vietnam"
- Frank Rich, New York Times

An earnest young journalist attempts to make sense of the insanity of a Vietnam-like country in this dark comedy of casual horror, lost identity and America at war with a country it doesn't understand.

The protean figures of The Historical Event creates the world through which he journeys - populated by cynical newsmen and self immolating monks, feminist dictators, battle damaged G.I's, mutilated war photographers and profanity ridden motivational speakers in a play which fuses Stones In His Pockets with Full Metal Jacket to create a vital, comic, challenging and startlingly relevant piece of theatre.

Playwright Amlin Gray was born in New York City in 1946. He was drafted in 1966, and, as a conscientious objector, served in Vietnam as a medic. How I Got That Story won the 1981 OBIE for Best Play, and has not been seen in the UK since its production at the Hampstead Theatre in 1981 with Robert Lindsay.

The cast includes Richard Costello whose credits include Island (Trestle Theatre Company) and Ridley Scott’s Gladiator; Gerard Monaco, who graduated from RADA in 2002, who appears in the new Mike Leigh film and whose TV credits include As If, The Great Dome Robbery, The Inspector Lynley Mysteries II and Into the Blue; and Kate Sissons who won great acclaim for taking over the lead role at short notice in the Time Out/ Financial Times Critics’ Choice production of Tennessee Williams’ Something Cloudy, Something Clear" at the Finborough Theatre. - “Kate Sissons, a gallant last-minute replacement as Clare, seemed to take the role effortlessly, as if by destiny.” Alastair Macaulay, Financial Times. Kate Sissons’ Clare …heartbreaking.” Carole Woddis, Evening Standard.

Directed by recent RADA graduate Lewis Davies, How I Got That Story is the debut production of a new theatre ensemble – Whore’s Oath Theatre Company.

THE PRESS ON THE ORIGINAL PRODUCTION OF HOW I GOT THAT STORY
“Little has been written as acridly powerful as this short American play . . .a remarkable theatrical experience” Time Out
“The comic horror of the play is chilling” Ned Chaillet, The Times
“An exceptionally deft, imaginative two-hander. . . he graphically conveys the kaleidoscopic strangeness of a foreign war.” Michael Billington, The Guardian

THE PRESS ON HOW I GOT THAT STORY

"How I Got This Story has 3 excellent actors. Richard Costello puts in a strong central performance as the Candide-like innocent, the war correspondent. Gerard Monaco delivers gifted interpretations as a delightfully bonkers newspaper editor, GI, and war-cameraman. Kate Sissons delivers many inspirational characterisations, as sinister Madame Ng, guerillas, nun, and a Vietnamese prostitute."
John Park, Fringe Report

"Amlin Gray’s Vietnam fable How I Got That Story was premiered in 1979, the same year as Apocalypse Now hit the cinema screens, and Gray’s view of the conflicts horror bears marked similarities to the film. In fact, if you imagine a two hour extended version of the Robert Duvall scenes, you might get an idea of the tone of the entertaining draught of Vietnamlite. . . All the supporting characters are played with comic vim and versatility by Gerard Monaco and Kate Sissons, while Richard Costello is consistently charismatic as the naive reporter . . .hugely enjoyable . . ."
Kieron Quirke, Time Out

"The newly formed Whore’s Oath Theatre Company makes a courageous London debut with the simply staged but arresting revival of a play in which the Vietcong gets more than its fair share of an argument between gung ho American militarism and wet Yankee liberalism. The hero is an optimistic cub reporter (Richard Costello) who, like Waugh’s naive newsman in Scoop, strives to report the truth about the war, but goes native. . .An immolating Buddhist monk, cigar chewing agent, scared GI’s and foulmouthed officers are all played with muscular ferocity by Gerard Monaco. But the Vietnamese women. . . are portrayed with extraordinary conviction by the splendid Kate Sissons with a perfect grasp of the Vietnamese accent. . . there is beauty, strength and striking maturity in her three more fully developed characters: a dragonwoman dictator, a Saigon prostitute seeking a one way ticket to the USA, and a saintly nun carting for orphans of war, who helps The Reporter choose a child for adoption in the plays most effective scene."
John Thaxter, What’s On FOUR STARS ****

"The first major revival of Amlin Gray’s 1981 Vietnam war play offers an opportunity to rediscover its strengths . . . in this strong production directed by Lewis Davies"
Gerald Berkowitz, The Stage

"This bitingly powerful and acidly funny commentary on the Vietnam war was written by one of its participants, Amlin Gray, who served time as a medic there, as a conscientious objector. It won an award in NY after being performed there off-Broadway in the early 80’s, and this production at the Finborough features outstanding performances all round from three amazing young actors. . . [Gerard] Monaco is fabulous as the crazy eyed cynical guys, and there are plenty of those around with the hardnosed press office chief, GI’s after a good time, and hippy photographers on acid like substances. [Kate] Sissons excels at everything she touches, from the maniacal Madame Mao persona, through spies, prostitutes, and culminating hilariously in a battle hardened soldier who is tolerating our poor Reporter, unwittingly standing behind her swaying posture in the war zone and thus helpfully shielding her butt from bullets. This is a superbly inventive play: well worth seeing."
Julia Hickman, Theatreworld Internet Magazine