5 Takes on "Exotic Deadly: Or the MSG Play"

Exotic Deadly: One Strange History Lesson

by Clara Thorsen

Exotic Deadly: Or the MSG Play is an absurd comedy, coming-of-age drama, and historical lesson packed into just under two hours. Exotic Deadly made its Northwest debut at Theatre Off Jackson, a cozy venue nestled in the Chinatown-International District. The play follows an Asian-American high school student, Ami (Karis Ho), whose world comes crashing down after discovering her family invented the flavor enhancer MSG.

Exotic Deadly addresses the widespread anti-Asian racism built off unsound rumors against MSG and a “Chinese Restaurant Syndrome.” For years, it was typical of Chinese restaurants to advertise “no MSG” to keep customers in response to the xenophobic hysteria. Although fear towards MSG has largely subsided since the play’s setting, Exotic Deadly has glaring parallels to Seattle history where just five years ago, violence and harassment against Asians escalated during the COVID-19 lockdown. 

Exotic Deadly tries to fit a lot into one play. Complicated family dynamics, high-energy surreal fight scenes, musical numbers, time travel, and interdimensional travel all fight for the spotlight and ultimately leave the play with drawn-out, unsatisfying conclusions. 

What saves the play is the beautifully written relationship between Ami and her mother (Kathy Hsieh) which is only enhanced by Hsieh’s stand-out performance of the protagonist’s mom. Despite the fast-moving, constant activity of the production, the audience is always brought back to the calm heart of the story—family.

Exotic Deadly entertains, moves, and most importantly educates the audience on a ridiculous period of anti-Asian racism. Exotic Deadly reminds us to always second-guess origins of hate, whether for the 20th century campaign against a fictional “Chinese Restaurant Syndrome” or the “China Virus” in 2020.

Justice for MSG! Pork-Filled Productions and SIS’s Exotic Deadly: Or the MSG Play shines light on a common misconception 

by Kylie Lippe

The warmly-lit Theater Off Jackson created an inviting ambience as I strolled to my seat. The anticipation built as Britney Spears hummed in the speakers, taking the audience back in time to 1999: the time of Blockbuster Video, Tamagotchi, the year before Y2K, and Keiko Green’s Exotic Deadly: Or the MSG Play, produced by Pork-Filled Productions and SIS.

When eating a salty snack leads Ami (Karis Ho), a Japanese-American high school student, to find that her grandfather created the famous AJI-NO-MOTO brand MSG, her shame for being related to something as “evil” as MSG causes her to distance herself from her Japanese culture. Throughout the play, Ami plays a game of tug of war with her identity and heritage as she tries her best to disappear into American culture through changing her name and even her lunch. Karis Ho’s versatile acting style is so fitting for the constantly evolving story that is Ami’s. Her impact on the audience was palpable, from big laughs to tearful sniffles.  

One day, after a night out and a family accident, Ami spirals into a dark place. There, she meets her grandfather - her Ojichan - and together they journey through time, where Ami understands how the stigma around MSG came to be. Watching this part of their stories being told through the lens of their relationship made it more meaningful, more personal.  

Exotic Deadly was written by Keiko Green during the COVID-19 lockdown, when Asian and Asian-American communities faced prejudice and artists were uncertain of what theater would look like in future. In the midst of this, Green brought this wonderful mythbuster in the form of a delightfully emotive play to life. This story is one that has been waiting to be told - Now that it's here, you don't want to miss it.

A Savory Blend of Humor, Adventure, and Self-discovery 

by Mariela Videla

Did you know that time travel is a side effect of MSG? At least it is in Exotic Deadly: Or the MSG Play, an energetic, hilarious, and heartfelt production making its PNW premiere at Theatre Off Jackson. Written by Keiko Green and directed by Mimi Katano, Exotic Deadly showcases Asian-American talent and culture while capturing the universally relatable angst of being a teen.

Set in 1999, the play follows Ami (Karis Ho), a Japanese-American high schooler ashamed of her cultural heritage and struggling to fit in. Grappling with the realization that her grandfather discovered the supposedly “poisonous” seasoning MSG, Ami is amazed when she meets Exotic Deadly (Pearl Mei Lam), a mysterious new student proud of her Japanese heritage… and hiding a secret identity.

Exotic Deadly is laugh-out-loud funny, packed with 90s pop culture references, exaggerated stereotypes, and anime-style fight scenes. Due to MSG-induced time travel, the complicated plot contains several unexpected stops, from 1940s Japan to the ocean floor. Beneath this humor and surrealism, Exotic Deadly provides a timely critique of the harm caused by xenophobic views and bad science in the U.S. All this is brought to life by the wildly entertaining six-person cast and a clever set designed by Parmida Ziaei: A giant bento-box-shaped screen with benches resembling sushi rolls. Throughout, Ho shines as Ami, effortlessly handling her role as both narrator and turbulent teen. 

While the play’s message about embracing your family and cultural identity is heartwarming, the delivery becomes heavy-handed as characters overexplain points that are already clear . Still, Exotic Deadly is anything but boring. It offers a vibrant theater experience with action, music, dancing, and palpable enthusiasm from the actors and audience. Perfect for teens, Exotic Deadly is an ultimately feel-good play flavored by both American and Japanese culture—and plenty of MSG!

This Play Is Pretty Crazy! 

by Milo Miller

While descriptors like “fever dream” and “visual assault” certainly apply, they don’t quite capture how wholesome Pork-Filled Productions and SIS’s Exotic Deadly: Or the MSG Play is. The play is frenetically cackle-worthy. The jokes pile on top of each other, often without respite, rewarding an eager audience over an audience looking for structure or plot. Oftentimes, the easy humor eclipses anything more high-brow that sneaks into the plot. Energetic actors literally rolling around on the floor as seaweed monsters, for example, works better comedically than a transgenerational hero’s journey about proving the institution wrong. In fact, when the play attempts by-the-book dialogue and structure, it leaves its talented actors with little to latch onto as they try and adapt the tone of the story to each specific scene. The actors are committed, but sometimes, the script is so crazy that it fails them.

For a play with so much visual tact, it’s surprising how much of the story is portrayed through narration directly to the audience. If only a conversation between two scientists in a Chinese restaurant could have run its full course… Instead, the various narrators explain what “he said” and what “I said” next. The primary medium of Exotic Deadly is showing, not telling. The sheer amount of off-the-rails, spasmodic action dilutes the frustratingly boring scenes to an insignificant sum—but it’s not for lack of trying. The cast of six, starring the impassioned Karis Ho, hold down the fort with their unique energy only found in community theater. Exotic Deadly is exotic, because it’s unlike anything else happening right now, but it’s not deadly—even though a few jokes fall flat.

Flavor, Family, and Fitting In: MSG in Exotic Deadly 

by Thien-Nhi Nguyen

As I walked into the small, intimate space at the Theatre Off Jackson, my eyes couldn’t help but be drawn to the fairy lights, which created a warm and cozy setting. I felt myself settling quickly into my seat, ready to jump straight back to the late 90s with the Japanese city pop soundtrack and the manga-inspired stage setup.

Playwright Keiko Green’s Exotic Deadly: Or the MSG Play opens on 14-year-old Ami (Karis Ho), to assimilate into American culture. Her struggles are initially shown through her name, “Ami”, which she changes to “Amy.” Even at home, Ami struggles to meet her mother’s expectations, constantly being overshadowed by her high-achieving older brother, Kenji. Simultaneously, the story highlights America’s rejection of MSG and the negative connotations surrounding it— drawing a counterpart to Ami’s story of assimilation into America.

As Ami struggles to find her identity, we are introduced to a new character: Exotic Deadly (Pearl Mei Lam). She carries herself with an air of confidence that draws people to her, including Ami. Nevertheless, despite the character’s significance, her introduction felt underwhelming. Ami merely notices her, points her out, and asks who she is. As the play unfolds, however, the parallels between Ami and Exotic Deadly become clear. During the flashback of Exotic Deadly’s past, I sat frozen in my seat. Watching her shed her “bad girl” persona for a preppy look to appeal to others made the room feel heavier with an uncomfortable tension.

Exotic Deadly isn’t just a story about a young girl’s struggle to adapt to America; it also sheds light on the history of MSG’s negative reputation. The story draws a wonderful conclusion as Ami embraces her Japanese identity, uplifts Exotic Deadly, and reconciles with her family, leaving audiences with a powerful message of acceptance and confidence. 

Lead photo: Ami (Karis Ho) belts it out with Exotic Deadly (Pearl Mei Lam) as Matt (Van Lang Pham), Ben (Josh Kenji) Kenji (James Lee) and Mom (Kathy Hsieh) cheer. Photo by Giao Nguyen.

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