Yule love the Caz classics
and accompanying hula

The Brothers Cazimero Christmas concert

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Review by John Berger
jberger@starbulletin.com

Christmas traditions are being revived this weekend, and one or two new ones are being created, as the Brothers Cazimero celebrate "A Cazimero Christmas" at the Hawaii Theatre. It's been almost 20 years since the brothers' big Christmas productions in Blaisdell Arena, and at least a few since their last Christmas show at Bishop Museum. With luck they'll be celebrating Christmas at the Hawaii Theatre for many years to come.

Anyone who's waited until now to buy tickets can buy with confidence, but be aware that the show is best appreciated from orchestra-level seats. The perspective from the loges and higher altitudes doesn't do justice to it.

When: 7 p.m. today and 2 p.m. tomorrow Where: Hawaii Theatre Tickets: $22.50 to $40 Call: 528-0506

Old-time fans will enjoy hearing once again several Cazimero Christmas staples. "Me and My Teddy Bear" and "I Love Christmas" are two. A medley blending "Ring Those Bells" and "Jingle Bell Rock" also has a comfortable Christmas-with-the-Cazimeros feeling.

The Cazimeros' popular finale, celebrating Christmas in its purest form as commemorating the birth of Christ, has been improved. The brothers' final number, "Go to the Light," is beautiful as always, and is followed by a choral rendition of "The Lord's Prayer" in Hawaiian sung while "third brother" Leina'ala Kalama Heine cradles the baby Jesus.

What's different this year is that producer Burton White positions 'Ala, baby Jesus and the dancers at the front of the stage so that they perform bathed in a pool of pure white light and then sink out of view when the song ends, an improvement over simply having them walk away when they're done.

Among the other new twists: Robert's white bass is gone. He plays a large reddish-brown instrument in Act One and a skinny solid-body bass in Act Two. Roland's white cube has been replaced by a larger red-and-white platform. The duo is also introducing a new song, "Downtown," inspired by Robert's observations on life these days on Nuuanu and Hotel streets.

Act Two is delightful. A gorgeous backdrop showing a pre-modern vista of Diamond Head adds ambience to a grand salute to Hawaii's hapa-haole traditions. Angelic hula dancer Moea DeFries steals the first two numbers with her zesty hapa-haole hula -- encore and hana hou, please! The men of Robert's Halau Na Kamalei add a pair of fine choral performances, and the incomparable 'Ala caps it all with a graceful hula to "I Fell in Love with Honolulu."

Elsewhere in the show, the keiki of kumu hula Aloha Dalire's Keolalaulani Halau 'Olapa O Laka add winsome charm as guest dancers on "Me and My Teddy Bear," Amy Hanaiali'i Gilliom joins the Brothers for "Winter Wonderland" and "A Whole New World," and two rival Santas add bits of sumo and kung fu to the proceedings.

A segment in which the men of Na Kamalei sing American Christmas song lyrics to traditional Hawaiian rhythms and melodies is odd but imaginative.

In contrast, the "Santa Baby" segment pairing 'Ala and Gilliom with the rival Santas hits many sour notes. Gilliom's interpretation is brassy rather than subtle or seductive -- demanding rather than sweetly cajoling. In short, not appealing. The Santas' obvious distaste when 'Ala approaches them with her appeal for Xmas booty is even more problematic. At a time when the national controversy over "Shallow Hall" has heightened concerns about American perceptions of large women as undesirable, it seems particularly ill-timed to suggest that a modern Hawaiian Santa would find a large Hawaiian woman repulsive, even though 'Ala is a respected kumu hula.

Many in the opening-night audience laughed loudly whenever one of the hapless Santas tried to escape her attentions, but "comedy" of this type is laced with cruelty. Although there's a number or two elsewhere that could be trimmed a bit, this one doesn't belong in a Cazimero Christmas show.

But as for the brothers, they're excellent. Even when it seems they've missed a lyric or two, they're still a best bet in Christmas entertainment.

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