Review: THE IMPROV SUPERETTE at Kumu Kahua Theatre

Kumu Kahua Theatre has long been known as an epicenter for all things hana keaka, and it is currently in its 54th season of providing a home for Polynesian artists to tell and celebrate their own stories. So it’s only fitting that a bright new addition has set up “shop” at Kumu Kahua: The Improv Superette, the newest improv group on O’ahu, featuring a large cast of talented Poly improvisers playing classic improv games, served with two scoops of local flavor.

The sold-out show on Sunday, February 16 was two hours of nonstop laughs, unexpected twists and turns, and absolute joy as the performers swapped in and out of various games, providing exciting new combinations of players in a variety of different scenarios. The team, composed of Elexis Draine, Brandon Hagio, Reyn Afaga, Kaipo Dudoit, Matt Nakamura, Aubrey Lee Staley, Kaliko Fase, Alysia Kepaa, La Fa’amausili-Siliato, Michael “Donut” Donato, and Ryan “Oki” Naka took turns hosting/getting suggestions and playing each of the different games (sometimes doing double duty if the mood took them), so there was lots of variety. The pacing of the show overall was nice and brisk, with no lulls in between scenes. The energy inside the packed house was off the charts, and the hosts made sure to get their audience suggestions from all over, even toward the back where I was seated.

But what really made the night particularly electric was how many local references, choices, and suggestions were made throughout the show, making this a proud and unique experience in the improv world. Right from the start, the warm-up game split the team in two to play against each other, with one group dubbed the “West Side”, and the other dubbed “Town”—and just as in real life, the tension between the two was palpable (though lighthearted). Later in the evening, we were also treated to an alternate-universe game called “Pidgin to Da Max”, where a scene was played by a malihini couple, then done again by a local couple, a game of Forward-Reverse set at Watanabe Floral, and a particularly memorable and chaotic reality show game of “Big Braddah: Nānākuli”. We even got a long-form game immediately after intermission based on nothing but an actual local couple in the audience, where the entire team retold their relationship with all kinds of hilarious twists. The mana was electric, and the chemistry among the improvisers was a delight to watch. All in all, this evening with The Improv Superette packed a huge punch, all for only $10 a ticket!

This was Improv Superette’s third show at Kumu Kahua, and certainly not its last. I can’t wait to see what’s next for this new kid on the improv block.

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