space invaders

Space Invaders was first staged in Brazil, summer of 2018. The play, originally written in Portuguese by Fernanda Gama and now translated to English by CHAOS member, Gabriel Neumann, may raise a few questions on why and how the characters manage to live in the environment they are set in.

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With several references to the 1980's, the aesthetic of the show is inspired in comic books, videogames and the Glam/Glitter Rock found in the songs of David Bowie.

The story follows the steps of Cade – as socially awkward as a 14 years old can be, he faces the challenges of suddenly having his house invaded by the children of his step-father: Peter, Vanessa and Luca. The three siblings have to move in while their mother recovers from an acute episode of depression, being unable to take care of them anymore. Out of the blue, the shy and introverted Cade has his universe completely flipped and can't find help or comfort anywhere.

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The trio don't get along with him very well. They find Cade to be too nerdy and think it's weird that he spends so much time locked in his bedroom, drawing his Comic Books and dressed like an astronaut. A fan of Bowie, He portrays himself as Major Tom, the character from the song Space Oddity (1969), that leaves behind his life on earth and ends up alone traveling through the immensity of space.

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We soon start to understand the personalities of the three 'invaders'. Peter, the oldest sibling, an anguished rebel that doesn't see a point in going to school anymore and spends most of his afternoons visiting his sick mother, in  secret. Vanessa, who dreams of the best sweet-16 party someone can have, sees her plans fall through when her ex-boyfriend shares an intimate picture of her with all their classmates and friends. And Luca, a sensitive kid that doesn't see the issues in playing in his sisters dresses and make up, becomes an easy target for bullies at school.

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The play is a debate about family structure and an attempt to shine light on some of the wounds that opened when we were 13 or 14 years old. That age when we are old enough to understand that life hurts, but too young to know how to make the pain go away.

 

The cast and creative team, to be announced soon, will feature a diverse group of American and Brazilian artists.