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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Thursday, November 2, 2006

STAGE REVIEW
Fast-paced entertainment for the whole family

By Joseph T. Rozmiarek
Special to The Advertiser

Actors in the Honolulu Theatre for Youth play, “Sport,” Bull Dog, left, and Alvin Chen, portray tennis players.

BRUCE ASATO | The Honolulu Advertiser

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'SPORT'

Tenney Theatre, St. Andrew's Cathedral

1:30 and 4:30 p.m. Saturdays, through Nov. 18

$16; $8 youth, seniors

839-9885, www.htyweb.org

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The Honolulu Theatre for Youth takes on an international flavor with its production of "Sport."

The wordless, physical comedy spoof on all types of games and players is the creation of El Tricicle, a Spanish group that originated in Barcelona as street mimes. Over 25 years, El Tricicle has expanded its repertoire to include theater, movies, television and special events. The HTY version plays well to an audience ages 4 and older.

Directed by Eric Johnson, the show's style is a close cousin to Jerry Lewis, the Marx Brothers and the Three Stooges. So expect an hour of the three-man cast — Reb Beau Allen, BullDog and Alvin Chen — doing sight gags, broad humor and hit-and-run vignettes.

The production includes lots of clowning pantomime, some dance, disco music, rear projections, scores of quick costume changes and imaginative props.

"Sport" opens with a tennis match. The ball is attached to a long fishing rod manipulated by a trouble-making referee. Segue to a pair of slip-sliding skiers and a basketball game in search of a suitable backboard.

Track and field events get a comic going-over, followed by a golf bag that converts into a portable barbecue, and some flouncing cheerleaders who manage to destroy a football quarterback.

Longer sequences include a couple of elderly gentlemen playing a spirited game of chess in a city park and a three-man boxing match — some of which is played sitting down — with a berserk ringside bell and a bit of sumo.

The crowd gets up for a seventh-inning stretch and sings along, following a bouncing ball. The game continues with a baseball bat that has to be burped like a baby and a pair of sharks that take off after a surfer, accompanied by theme music from "Jaws."

Allen, BullDog and Chen charge through the sketches on high throttle and with their backfields always in motion. The nonstop action also carries a painless message to "start living healthy," emphasized by the final piece in which the trio becomes diapered toddlers chasing a huge beach ball and proving that fun exercise knows no age barriers.

"Sport" is a fast-paced, good time the whole family can enjoy.