COURTESY OF ALVARO SAAR RIOS / HAWAII THEATRE FOR YOUTH
Emily Tam, Hermen Tesoro Jr. and Chi Ho Law get the audience involved in HTY's play "Mulan: The Woman Warrior."
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Fast-paced 'Mulan' is fine fare
HONOLULU Theatre for Youth offers a lively way to herald the Year of the Dog with this fast-paced original play that tells the story of a common girl in ancient China with big dreams to become a great soldier.
"Mulan: The Woman Warrior" hews close to the successful formula HTY has used over the years: engaging young (and young at heart) audiences with colorful tales that capture the imagination, all with minimal staging. But what has definitely helped the veteran company is finally finding a permanent home in Tenney Theatre.
"Mulan: The Woman Warrior," presented by Honolulu Theatre for Youth, continues at 1:30 and 4:30 p.m. Saturdays through Feb. 11 at Tenney Theatre, St. Andrew's Cathedral. Tickets are $16; $8 children. Call 839-9885.
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HTY uses the building to augment the spirit of the play. Complementing the three dragon panels on stage is a large drawing of the respected reptile in the back of the theater, with the house lights converted into large, red lanterns.
The three enthusiastic jingju (Chinese opera) actors, who try their mightiest to flesh out Mulan's story, are played with hammy verve by HTY newcomers Chi Ho Law and Emily Tam, and company actor Hermen Tesoro Jr. Both Law and Tesoro do quick costume changes to play multiple characters, while Tam pretty much plays the actor playing Mulan.
MULAN already fancies herself as "a mighty housecleaner," wielding her dust rags and "broom of doom" like the warrior she desires to be. And buoyed by the spirit of empowerment, and the help of her aged father and Auntie Wu (both Tesoro), she survives fights with a tiger, a dragon and a sword battle with Master Yee to finally take on the Mongol enemy leader in the most involved choreographed fight in the play. While not Kung Fu Action Theater, Tam and Law go through the motions with a sense of fluidity.
Besides, it's the story with the message "you can be anything you want -- you just have to want it," not a variant of a video game, that is the basic appeal of "Mulan." Costume designer Casey Cameron does a fine job in, unfortunately, her final play for HTY after 15-plus years of service -- the brightly embroidered costume for the Khan is especially appealing.
Tam makes for a fine, acrobatic Mulan, complete with an indefatigable personality. Law provides comic relief as the beleaguered storyteller, and Tesoro continues to be one of the company's most versatile actors, whether it's as the physically stiff, if spirited, father or a lantern-jawed military captain.
"Mulan: The Woman Warrior" makes for fine family fare for a Saturday afternoon.