Bollywood Robin Hood Makes You Want to Clap Along and Wash Your Hands
Honolulu Theatre for Youth's 60th Season Opener is a Catchy Show for All Ages
Photo: Brad Goda
A Bollywood Robin Hood takes the audience on a swashbuckling, sari-wearing journey at Tenney Theatre complete with slapstick, and catchy songs and some feel-good lessons.
Honolulu Theatre for Youth opens its 60th season with this original romp written by company actor Alvin Chan. The antics, which include lots of audience participation opportunities, kept even young preschoolers in the crowd paying attention, booing the villain and cheering on the heroes.
The production designers set a festive Indian mood, decking the entire theater in many-colored fabrics and lights. Some bow-and-arrow special effects and stylized fighting gave the actors an opportunity to run through the audience repeatedly.
The actors display the winning chemistry of ensemble members who enjoy working with each other and interacting with the children who make up most of their audiences. The music, dancing and effects, however, also proved compelling enough to keep even the high-schoolers in the audience good-naturedly playing along with the 65-minute production.
The plot follows the general Robin Hood idea of stealing from the rich (who are portrayed as stealing from the poor through exorbitant taxes) and giving back to the poor, with the message: “All people are deserving of help.”
A public service announcement on the importance of hand-washing comes toward the end of the show from a partnership with the state Department of Health. And the tune is guaranteed to stick in your head long after you’ve left the theater.
The final public performance is 4:30 p.m. Sept. 20 at Tenney Theatre. For tickets, go to htyweb.org or call 839-9885 ext. 720.
