{"id":108582,"date":"2025-02-07T17:46:45","date_gmt":"2025-02-08T01:46:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/forallevents.com\/reviews\/?p=108582"},"modified":"2025-02-07T17:47:37","modified_gmt":"2025-02-08T01:47:37","slug":"exotic-deadly-or-the-msg-play","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/forallevents.com\/reviews\/exotic-deadly-or-the-msg-play\/","title":{"rendered":"Exotic Deadly: or the MSG Play"},"content":{"rendered":"

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\"\"<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Theatrical Umami Bomb
\n<\/strong><\/p>\n

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Folks, if you\u2019ve ever worried that your Chinese takeout is secretly brainwashing you, Exotic Deadly: Or The MSG Play<\/em> might just blow your mind<\/strong>\u2014or at least your taste buds. Keiko Green\u2019s raucous, time-hopping, anime-fueled comedy, now at San Francisco Playhouse through March 8<\/strong>, takes a deep dive into one of America\u2019s strangest food myths. And let me tell you, this show is as wild as a 3 a.m. ramen binge.<\/span><\/p>\n

It\u2019s 1999. Ami, a Japanese American high schooler with a knack for awkwardness (played with hilarious sincerity by Ana Ming Bostwick-Singer<\/strong>), finds out that her family played a role in creating MSG\u2014the much-maligned seasoning that has fueled urban legends. Her quest to clear her family\u2019s name takes a surreal turn when a mysterious and effortlessly cool new girl from Japan arrives. What unfolds is a hilariously chaotic and deeply resonant journey through teenage anxieties, family legacies, and, yes, the unexpected magic of instant ramen.<\/span><\/p>\n

This cast? They\u2019ve got chops<\/strong> (and not just the kind you eat). James Aaron Oh, Nicole Tung, Phil Wong, and Edric Young<\/strong> flip between characters faster than a late-night channel surfer, bringing the play\u2019s rollercoaster of chaos to life. Director Jesca Prudencio<\/strong> keeps the energy high, the comedy sharp, and the sentiment sneaky\u2014just when you think you\u2019re watching a goofy teen adventure, bam<\/em>, you\u2019re contemplating identity, history, and why people think MSG is some kind of chemical boogeyman.<\/span><\/p>\n

Visually, this thing is a feast. Heather Kenyon\u2019s set design<\/strong> spins between school hallways and anime dreamscapes, Michael Oesch\u2019s lighting<\/strong> zips from fluorescent to fantastical, and Kathleen Qiu\u2019s costumes<\/strong> serve up vintage 90s nostalgia with a side of comic-book flair. It\u2019s like someone took a Saturday morning cartoon, a sci-fi flick, and a coming-of-age drama, tossed them in a wok, and cranked the heat to high.<\/span><\/p>\n

But here\u2019s the real kicker: this play has bite<\/strong>. Green\u2019s script is whip-smart, poking at cultural anxieties, generational misunderstandings, and the weird stuff we believe just because someone once told us to. (MSG bad? Says who? Probably the same guy who thinks gum stays in your stomach for seven years.)<\/span><\/p>\n

Playing through March 8, 2025<\/strong><\/span>
\nSan Francisco Playhouse, 450 Post Street, San Francisco<\/strong><\/span>
\n\ufe0f Tickets:<\/strong> $35-$135 | Get Tickets<\/a> | Call 415-677-9596<\/strong> to purchase by phone.<\/span><\/p>\n

New! Audio Described Performance<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

For blind and visually impaired audience members, San Francisco Playhouse is offering live audio description and a haptic access tour<\/strong> on Sunday, March 2nd at 2 P.M.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

So, should you see Exotic Deadly<\/em>? Let\u2019s put it this way: If you like your theater fast, funny, and just a little off-kilter (in the best way possible),<\/strong> grab your ticket before they vanish like a bowl of late-night ramen.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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\u00a0 Theatrical Umami Bomb Folks, if you\u2019ve ever worried that your Chinese takeout is secretly brainwashing you, Exotic Deadly: Or The MSG Play might just blow your mind\u2014or at least…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"yasr_overall_rating":4,"yasr_post_is_review":"yes","yasr_auto_insert_disabled":"","yasr_review_type":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[838],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-108582","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","6":"category-joseph-cillo"},"yasr_visitor_votes":{"stars_attributes":{"read_only":true,"span_bottom":"