There’s history taking place at The Blue Note Hawai'i. In the metaphorical sense, Duke marks the first time a theatrical show has graced the stage at the iconic venue. In the literal sense, actor/writer/producer Moses Goods takes the audience on a historical journey through Duke Kahanamoku’s incredible life, from age 4 in 1890 to his death in 1977 at age 68, set against the backdrop of a rapidly changing cultural landscape in Hawai’i. In a feat nearly as impressive as Duke’s own Olympic records, Goods presents an impeccably dramatized telling of the icon’s life story, portraying not only the Father of Surfing himself, but a myriad of other characters (I lost count at 10)—including Duke’s British swimming coach, fellow Olympian Jim Thorpe (in a monologue delivered while doing pushups), and a local 1950s housewife dressed in a mu’umuu’u I could swear was purloined from my own Tūtū’s closet. Goods seamlessly transitions among all these characters and narratives with practiced ease and affability, utilizing only minor costume changes and occasional video and audio transitions projected onto a small screen upstage to facilitate the lightning-fast transformations. For over an hour straight, Goods never let the energy or the audience engagement drop even for a second, leaving the crowd breathless by the end.
Though Duke was originally conceived as a production for Honolulu Theatre for Youth several years ago, there is nothing juvenile about it. This show has truly universal appeal, whether young or old, local or visitor. This performance at Blue Note, preceded by a stirring performance by The Lili’u Project (Starr Kalāhiki, John Signor, Honybal Sosa) of mele composed by Queen Lili’uokalani, marked the first in a series of appearances across the islands, with shows on Kaua’i, Big Island, and Maui through September 6. It is this author’s sincere hope that this show travels around the mainland and further, to share not only the story of a Hawaiian legend (played by a Hawaiian legend in his own right), but to educate about the lasting impacts of the 1893 overthrow, the rise of tourism, and the place that Hawai’i holds in the imaginations of the world. But above all, as Duke himself would no doubt support, to share aloha in the truest sense of the word—to welcome, to mālama all that makes Hawai’i uniquely beautiful, and to tap into our na’au in order to connect and create community with those around us. Artistry aside, the sincerity and mana that Goods brings to this story is palpable, and absolutely continues the honored position as an Ambassador of Aloha that Goods posits was Duke Kahanamoku’s greatest legacy.
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