James Wilson takes a look at Invasive Species, presented at the Vineyard Theatre:
According to the Environmental Protection Agency, an "invasive species" is one that "has been intentionally or inadvertently brought into a region or area. Also called an exotic or non-native species." Born in Argentina and with aspirations to be a film star in the United States, writer and performer Maia Novi uses the metaphor to explore her own experiences and the ways in which immigrants' identities are shaped, molded, and reconstructed to conform to what people expect them to be. Now playing at the Vineyard's Dimson Theater (although it is not a Vineyard production), Invasive Species is a highly theatricalized, alternately dark and uproariously absurd examination of the costs of assimilation. |
