Review: ONCE ON THIS ISLAND at Mānoa Valley Theatre

O’ahu’s hottest show is Once On This Island.

This. Show. Has. EVERYTHING.

Gods. Peasants. Colorism. Sand. Temporarily restoring your faith in humanity through the power of storytelling. A rain machine!

Presented in the round and staged heavily in homage to the 2017 Broadway revival at Circle in the Square, director/choreographer Ahnya Chang brings Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty’s Once on This Island to vibrant and colorful life at Mānoa Valley Theatre. Though the “Island” at the heart of this show is in the Caribbean, and Kimmerie H.O. Jones’ costumes reflect the candy-coated pastels of that region, this particular cast brings a distinctly Pacific flavor to the story’s retelling here in Hawai’i nei. While the show does take on a slightly different tone with the more heavily AANHPI cast rather than the primarily African diaspora one that the original show is based around, the message and the power of oral tradition remains the same, and is impactful and powerful in new and sometimes unexpected ways because of it.

Jenny Shiroma heads an orchestra that does justice to the Caribbean rhythms and percussion elements of the score, transporting us to an island that seems both very distant and very familiar, and Chris Gouveia and Janine Myers lighting designs do an impressive amount of heavy lifting to direct focus and highlight the emotional stakes of the story, set against a deceptively simple set (Willie Sabel). These, combined with Ms. Chang’s decision to have the ensemble nearly always on stage, scattered around the theatre and sometimes intermingling with the audience, give an overall sense that we as observers are also integral to the story, without ever putting us uncomfortably on the spot or making us complicit in the actions unfolding. This makes for a very intimate theatrical experience, and one that will stick with me for a while.

Speaking of the ensemble, this is by far one of the strongest and most beautiful—in all senses of the word—I have seen in a long time. Every one of these incredibly talented performers has their moment in the spotlight, and I found my attention pulled in multiple directions to see how different people were reacting to the story, or interacting with each other, gliding in and out of the scenes with a seamless flow that pulled the story along like an undercurrent. Within it, there is a raw sense of joy that permeates the theatre for the entirety of the run, and it is clearly shared by everyone on stage.

This strong foundation sets the tone for some truly moving performances by the mortals and gods around whom the story ebbs and flows, like Agwe’s (Jarren Amian) waters. A particular standout for the mortals was Keanu Roe, whose voice alone was one of the most beautiful sounds I have been privileged to hear, and his performance as Tonton Julian was deeply caring and stoic. The four gods at the center of the action also each have their say in the fates of Ti Moune (the lovely Alexis Bugarin) and Daniel Beauxhomme (Darian Aquino, showing another side to his talent after his rousing success as Evan Hansen earlier this year). I was deeply moved by Lelea’e “Buffy” Kahalepuna-Wong’s warmth in her Earth Mother Asaka, fully embodying the concept of aloha ‘aina, as well as Jorin Young’s silky smooth vocals on “The Human Heart” which felt like being wrapped up in a warm blanket while drinking a cup of tea. But it was Kimo Kaona’s god of death and trickery, Papa Ge, that stole the show for me. From his spinal column tuxedo coat to his angular and menacing posturing, he had me entranced with every note. It can be easy to fall into cartoonish portrayals when playing broad archetypes, but Mr. Kaona strayed away from Snidley Whiplash-like villainy and brought a slickness and grounded timelessness to Papa Ge that loomed over the whole production, even when he wasn’t on stage.

I know I am not alone in saying that this is a show you cannot afford to miss—storytelling at its finest—and you will regret it if you don’t make the trip up the valley to come play in the sandbox with the storytellers.

But…

It all depends what you hear from friends

It’s no surprise, if it’s all just lies—

But that’s what some say…

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