The Canoe

The Canoe is a quiet little fable of play in which a young girl named Hoku, played with natural charm by 14-year-old Juliana Yee of Sacramento, lives on some magical Hawaiian island where her companions include a talking cat and a talking turtle. There’s a perceptive old palm tree and an impish, joking wind that talk, as well. Hoku has lived much of her life through books, but she’s ready for an adventure. So, she links up with a wise, gentle old sensei (Japanese for teacher or master), who teaches her how to row, with the goal of navigating an ocean-going canoe.

Playwright Diane Yen-Mei Wong develops her story by Hawaiian time, which is to say the pace is leisurely, with plenty of opportunity for the sensei to make philosophical observations about growth, learning and life. (Brian Doan leaves a favorable impression, even if he’s young for the role.)

The talking creatures are enjoyable, starting with Lawrence J. Lew’s comic portrayal of Wind, dressed in stringy grasses and having a very good time as he dances in and out. Leana Machado stretches, purrs and cuddles as the feline Kala, and Mathew Robinson brings his full figure, a winning smile and some good aquatic moves as Turtle. As Palm Tree, we see little of Andrea Blalock other than her face.

It’s not a slick, professional effort. But, in its own amiable way, this is a very pleasant little show, and there aren’t many theater companies in town that would attempt this kind of script.