Yokanaan Kearns' new play for Honolulu Theatre for Youth delivers a moral disguised as a metaphor.

Intended for an upper-elementary school audience, "Maui vs. Hercules" doesn't hit anybody over the head with its message. Nor do the fighting heroes of the title come to blows. Instead, the script locks a pair of demigods from widely differing cultures into a friendly conflict of boasts and challenges.

Maui (Hermen "Junior" Tesoro) is happily alone after pulling his tropical island up out of the sea until Hercules (Swaine Kaui) washes up in a damaged boat. Possessed of super-sized egos, each insists he must be king.

There are good-natured laughs as Hercules responds to a hula challenge. Maui explains that dancing the hula is very difficult since all body parts must move in specific ways all at the same time. Not surprisingly, Hercules lacks the necessary coordination.

Maui takes his turn at extemporaneously reciting epic poetry with similar disastrous results. Epic poetry must rhyme, says Hercules, and contain big words, "all out of place."

But scratch the surface and their comic one-upmanship becomes a metaphor for culture clash between Polynesian and Western traditions. Both sides insist their way is best and must prevail.

The metaphor continues with the arrival of Valley Girl Brittany (Mary Wells), who demands to know why there aren't any malls, brand-name stores, or coffee shops. Maui and Hercules are quickly reduced to teen boys competing for her approval while the fate of the land lies in the balance.

But before paradise is exploited by crass development and commercialism, Brittany — who is really the incarnation of Hercules' stepmother Hera and Maui's auntie Pele — knocks the boys back to their senses to save the 'aina and share its beauty.

Director Eric Johnson packs as much zip as possible into a mostly talky script and the cast works hard to get its laughs. Tesoro and Kaui are good at exaggerated physical comedy and Wells gets points for Brittany's affected accent and for sustaining the uppityness of two goddesses.

Costumers Nara Cardenas and Morgan Lane-Tanner whip up lion skins and helmets and a set designer fronts a mountain peak with a row of beaded palm trees.

While the production has color and energy, at heart the script is based on a debate and not a traditional story line. So, listen for the jokes hidden in the arguments and don't expect much of a plot.

Joseph T. Rozmiarek has reviewed theater performances in Hawai'i since 1973.