EVREN ODCIKIN
West Coast Premiere
INVASION! by Jonas Hassen Khemiri
translated by Rachel Willson-Broyles
Crowded Fire Theater Company, San Francisco (2012)
It begins with a name—Albukasem. Through a tornado of words, a collage of images, and a finely woven tapestry of scenes, Khemiri takes us on a magical game of theatrical “telephone.” Who, or what, is this Albukasem? My dancing uncle…the punchline to your joke…that smooth talking chick magnet we met at the bar…or the terror that comes in the night? INVASION! is an explosive comedy that assaults our deepest prejudices about identity, race, and language.
"Beautifully and aggressively staged... There’s comedy, mystery, surprises, and sinister darkness lurking about Odcikin’s sharp, crisply performed production."
—Theater Dogs
"A buoyant production by director Evren Odcikin... The four actors are a rock-solid ensemble, effortlessly and convincingly moving from character to character without ever needing to change costumes."
—San Francisco Examiner
"Evren Odcikin's lively, minimalist staging highlights the gifts of his four-person ensemble, each of whom makes multiple roles into distinctly different people."
—SF Weekly
"Masterfully directed, skillfully acted and stylishly set, INVASION! is a linguistic smorgasbord that dares to question our deeply-held beliefs with aplomb, humor and intelligence."
—Aslan Media
"Director Evren Odcikin gives the play a dynamic, fast-paced staging that keeps the energy high."
—The Idiolect
Cast
George Psarras, Lawrence Radecker, Olivia Rosaldo-Pratt, Wiley Naman Strasser
Creative Team
Dolfakar Al-Waheed (Language Consultant), Miyuki Bierlein (Costume Design), Laura Brueckner (Dramaturg), Wesley Cabral (Video Design), Alicia Coombes (Assistant Dramaturg), Ali Dadgar (Visual Artist), Katie Forbes (Assistant Stage Manager), Alex Friedman (Scenic Design), Sara Huddleston (Sound Design), Rem Myers (Assistant Director), Darl Andrew Packard (Lighting Design), Chelsea Pegram (Props Design), Mina Sohaa Smith (Stage Manager)