The Improper Identity at Native Earth Performing Arts

The Improper Identity is a satirical and emotionally resonant new work created by actor and playwright Miho Suzuki, presented by Japanese-Canadian performing arts company @mihyonvision as part of the 2026 Toronto Fringe Festival. The 55-minute production follows Ai, a Japanese immigrant actress navigating life and work in Canada who becomes involved with an inventor's experimental device called the "Pronunciationizer," designed to erase accents, only to find it distances her from her identity and relationships. Blending satire, absurdity, physical theatre and multimedia performance, the work tackles questions around accent discrimination and linguistic bias. The cast includes Miho Suzuki, Mladen Obradovic, and Kent Penaranda, with Suzuki also serving as director, choreographer, composer, and costume designer.