The artists in the production this The Inexplicable Redemption of Agent G give unwavering performances that pushed beyond creative boundaries. The Ma-Yi Theater Company and Vampire Cowboys have proven they know how to bring a new play to the stage.

I left thinking about the impacts of critics on a playwright.  It was challenging for the playwright, Qui Nguyen (played by Temar Underwood), to finish the story of Agent G, aka his cousin Hung (played by Neimah Djourabchi). Hung, a Vietnamese refugee who survived, demands that the playwright  tell his story truthfully and not sugar coat anything. Ten years prior, Agent G’s family, including his brother and friends, were all ferociously slain in Vietnam. Now all he wants is answers and revenge.  But is that the truth, or what society demands for entertainment?

The Inexplicable Redemption of Agent G brings to life a play that is absolutely hilariously entertaining until the end, when the jokes stop, reminding the audience through a heartfelt rap that stereo-types affect everyone of every culture. This entire collaboration of originality kept me rolling in laughter and provoked in thought. (Comic book styled theatrical shows that are filled with martial arts, soft porn, and side-splitting multimedia interludes have become a high interest and craving for me!)

This story took me on a roller-coaster ride of fast entertaining hilarity while still managing to make me think of issues about race and society criticism. My eyes were opened up to understand the stereo-types of Asian Americans, and the struggle and challenges a playwright faces like pressure from critics, reviews and opinions from society. Qui is torn between writing Hung’s story the way he knows how to write stories or the way his audience thinks he should write it. And in the end he is free to finally tells the audience the story the way he knows best.