A Sweet But Too-Short Time with Nothing Without A Company’s ‘Pakalolo Sweet’ (Review)

Parties are the worst. I always struggle in maintaining interest during pointless, cookie-cutter conversations with strangers (“Why yes, this fall weather is colder than usual!”). If the music is playing so loud I’m unable to differentiate between the bass line and my pulse, I plaster on a fake smile and nod silently along in conversations without understanding a word. And if dragged to a party where I only know a couple of people and I’m separated from them for more than 30 minutes, I simply leave without a word (sorry).

With that said, in arriving to see Nothing Without A Company’s Pakalolo Sweet, I’m already grinding my teeth in dread. The first part of the show is an immersive Hawaiian-themed party. After entering Berger Park’s coach house (located within feet of Lake Michigan’s shoreline), I walk onto the yard of Junior Boy (Dean Santiago) and Nani (Sharon Pasia). While mentally preparing my inventory of conversational responses, I’m approached by both of them, welcoming me as a good friend rather than a random stranger coming to see a play. In fact, the two performers put me at ease so quickly that I find myself singing karaoke to ELO’s Livin’ Thing before I know what’s happened. Nani and another guest join in, providing back up in the chorus sections, and sharing in the joyful embarrassment of singing in public.

After the party wraps up, the audience sits down and we watch a proscenium one-act play performed. While none of my interactions from the party influence the play, having spent time with the characters makes me generally care about them more than I would have otherwise. I appreciate that Hannah Ii-Epstein’s script doesn’t hold the audience’s hand either, both in how the characters drop in and out of Hawaiian Pidgin and subtly raises the issue of how growing pot illegally fosters family depression and stress. I just wish I had more “play” to watch; Pakalolo Sweet comes to a sudden end only when the action begins to dramatically escalate.

Get Patrick B. McLean’s stories in your inbox

Join Medium for free to get updates from this writer.

SubscribeSubscribe

While desiring the story to continue beyond its one-act play structure, the immersive party before Pakalolo Sweet was one of the best parties I’ve been to in a long while, providing personalized relationships to the characters that no traditional storytelling could have allowed. These intimate connections is best showcased in partying with Uncle Makana (Scott Hanada). He corrals a group of us into playing a Hawaiian card game: one that’s so simple, it’s complicated. Makana teaches the game on the fly and whenever someone screws up — like I do several times — it’s met not with frustration or anger, but laughs and a good-natured ribbing. Makana soon is in need of a hit of weed so I follow him outside. We sit at a wooden table, discussing the subprime mortgage crisis, and how we seem doomed to repeat mistakes of the past. As I sit, listening to the waves crash onto the rocks, inhaling the smells of a CBD joint, I truly believe I’m on Oahu, having a mellow relaxing time with friends.

Pakalolo Sweet has concluded its run.

NoPro is a labor of love made possible by our generous Patreon backers. Join them today!

In addition to the No Proscenium web site, our podcast, and our newsletters, you can find NoPro on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, in the Facebook community Everything Immersive, and on our Slack forum.

Office facilities provided by Thymele Arts, in Los Angeles, CA.