Review: EXOTIC DEADLY: OR THE MSG PLAY at The Old Globe

EXOTIC DEADLY: OR THE MSG PLAY is a wild, wonderful show that explores the ideas of heritage, misinformation, and identity with a talented cast in a fast-paced, graphic novel, 90s pop culture-inspired production. From teenage angst, and figuring out who you are this show is funny, and heartwarming, and highlights the journey of one girl's journey to be proud of her culture in a world where assimilation reigns supreme. EXOTIC DEADLY: OR THE MSG PLAY is playing at The Old Globe through May 7th.

When the show opens we find Ami (Anna Mikami) who is contemplating the grandfather she doesn't remember, her's mother's father who was a scientist, but who is not remembered well in the family. Next, she is eating breakfast and watching the news before school, when a reporter comes on speaking about a new and dangerous ingredient, MSG.

Ami is already struggling to find her place, and who she is, in a high school that thinks her bento box lunches are gross, and her perfect older brother Kenji excels in everything, including all of the extracurricular activities. Each morning with her mother feels like a literal battle with her mother, like an old-school Street Fighter video game.

Up until now, Ami has been content to float along and let the pop culture and high school currents drift her wherever they may go, even declaring that her name is now "Amy" and she just wants a turkey sandwich so she can stay invisible. Yet as Japanese culture and her family history with the dreaded MSG weigh heavily on her mind, and a new student named Exotic Deadly arrives at the school, Ami finds herself needing to battle her demons and figure out where she comes from and where she wants to go.

Told as a memory play from the point of view of a teenage girl, the show ranges from drab reality to dramatic time travel (with a lot in between) and is punctuated with colorful and charismatic characters. As Ami learns more about herself, her family, and her ancestors, her personal and wider worldview becomes full of saturated colors and nuance instead of the drab neutral sameness of the seemingly prized Western ideal.

Written by Keiko Green and directed by Jesca Prudencio, the play has a darkly funny acerbic wit, with meta-commentary on the play and events itself as well as the audience when Ami breaks the fourth wall. Full of pop culture references in the dialogue, as well as in the action-oriented direction, the show is frenetic and fantastical - with fight sequences and story asides dropped in almost like musical numbers to expand the kinetic visual wit while moving the story forward.

If you were of an impressionable age in the 1990s, then this show is filled with things that will delight you, and potentially make you feel old (or maybe both?). The scenic design by Yu Shibagaki is playful and colorful, and the color and usage of some props may remind you of the Max from "Saved By The Bell." The lighting design by Cha See and the sound design by Fan Zhang work well with the scenery and the story to capture the tone and time.

Costuming by Hahnji Jang is wonderful, capturing the time period, and including the spiky-haired bleach tips on boys at school, to Exotic Deadly's fishnet tights and flannel tied around her waist. The cat cardigan from a teacher is so awkwardly on point and adorable it could have come straight out of a 90's movie.

Mikami brings a smart, sensitive, and vulnerable performance to the role of Ami. Amy Kim Waschke is excellent as Ami's stern and fragile mother, while Eunice Bae brings a tough girl with a squishy emotional center to Exotic Deadly. Trevor Salter Michelangelo Hyeon, Trevor Salter, and James Seol are all very strong and bring a lot of laughs as a variety of characters.

At 100 minutes, this one act is a bit long, but the fast cuts, the visual creativity, and the many reference and jokes keep the show moving, though at times can feel overwhelming. Even with all the flash and fun, the sincerity, and willingness to explore the complications of youth, culture, and being an "other" in a world that just wants you to fit in is a very timely story.

This show is a fun and modern coming-of-age tale that will appeal to and entertain, and as I heard someone say as I exited the theatre' "This is how you get young diverse people to the theatre" and I agree.

How To Get Tickets

EXOTIC DEADLY: OR THE MSG PLAY is playing at The Old Globe through May 7th. For ticket and show time information go to www.theoldglobe.org

Photo credit: The Old Globe and Rich Soublet II