Recalling The Fab 4
It was twenty years ago today,
Sergeant Pepper taught the band to play …
Actually, it was 50 years ago this month, May 2, 1964, to be exact, that John Lennon and George Harrison made a pit stop at the Royal Hawaiian Hotel while heading to Tahiti. The Beatles were in their heyday, and Hawaii fans gave them a worthy welcome. Recalling the era, both with a perfectly replicated photo and with an engaging musical throw-back, is the Fourever Fab show.
“What I find surprising is that no one knows Beatlemania hit Hawaii in 1964, when George and John stopped over here for a couple of days,” says show producer and “Paul McCartney” performer Andrew Hill. “It was very historical at the time, them staying at the Royal Hawaiian Hotel.”
Hill and his team did the research to replicate the location, angle and look of the vintage shot, even to the hour of day.
“Imagine going back 50 years and saying in 50 years time, half a century, we’re going to get two guys who look just like you in this position and they’re going to take a photo of what you were doing,” says Hill. “If they could even realize the impact they had just taking that candid photo.”
The Beatles legacy carries on in the form of a three-times-a-week show that just got a snazzy new home at the Ainahau Showroom at Sheraton Princess Kaiulani.
“The new room,” points out Hill, “is unbelievable. The light show is phenomenal. The room is huge and just beautiful. There’s a feel to it, like something exciting is going to happen.”
Something exciting does happen. The Fab Four enjoy a reincarnation of sorts, with their doppelgangers playing the tunes we all know so well and crooning out those famous lyrics. They invoke three eras of the Beatles, complete with costume changes, filling the house with much-loved hits from Twist and Shout to Yesterday, Here Comes the Sun, and much more. Some fans’ excitement bubbles up into screaming and rushing for photo opportunities, while most get up and dance and sing along.
“Music is so healing, so positive,” points out Hill. “Even kids love it. We do a lot of shows where kids 5 and 6 know all the words. Good music let’s you leave your worries and troubles behind. It’s alive, it’s got a happy feel to it.”
the TICKET stub
FOUREVER FAB
When: Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday at 7 p.m.
Where: Ainahau Showroom, Sheraton Princess Kaiulani
Cost: $49.99 general, additional cost for dinner packages
More Info: 725-4136, foureverfabshow.com
ALSO SHOWING
Wingin it in style
As the audience filters into Ong King Arts Center for MicroCosmic–It’s Improv Li’Dat, they will be asked for song suggestions that will then be randomly played to inspire improv scenes by eight talented spur-of-the-moment actors. When the music stops, with no pre-planning, two of the actors will suddenly be in the spotlight, making use of nearby props. The two will interact, forming a complete five-minute scene, and when it reaches a suitable climax, a new song will initiate the next spontaneous sequence with two new actors.
“It’s a lot to ask of the players,” says mastermind Chris Riel (above). “I’m asking them to trust themselves and each other. I’m asking them to be in the moment, to commit to a character, a world, a relationship, and to make it all up.”
Generally, improv includes a safety net where an actor can replace one who’s in a hot spot, but not in MicroCosmic. And nothing is taboo, so anything can happen in this 90-minute show (May 23-25, brownpapertickets.com).
“It’s a play,” notes Riel. “It’ll definitely have plenty of funny moments, and it will also have weird, sad, awkward, disgusting, profound, beautiful and intimate moments. Each show will be completely different from the previous one. It’s improv li’dat!”
