Aloha, Aloha or When I Was Queen
About the show
Writer and performer Eliza Bent uses a home movie as a jumping off point to lead audiences on a journey that grapples with personal history, legacy, and cultural appropriation. More…
In 1996, a young Eliza Bent, along with a friend, created, directed, and starred in an amateur historical film for a school project. In it, Bent portrayed Hawaii’s last reigning monarch, Queen Liliuokalani. 22 years later, Bent reexamines the movie in this solo exploration full of humorous cringe-inducing stories which chart a young Bostonian’s education in race and appropriation.
"Bent deftly dodges some of the common traps white people fall into when discussing race...Bent is funny, charming, and deeply sincere, a persona that carries the complexity of the story with humor and compassion, and her sophisticated writing offers the kind of frank hilarity that makes solo performance shine...Bent asks her audience to consider their own way of taking space, participating in culture...It's a smart, funny, and vital contribution to the ongoing conversation." Full Review
"Bent's self-study, if unfinished in places, is the kind of candid introspection many of us should be undertaking — though probably funnier and sweeter than most of ours would be...There is no shortcut to confronting our white privilege, Bent observes; no course of action besides acknowledging mistakes, apologizing, and listening. She’s not the first to say so, but she’s funny and convincing, and her cringe-worthy confessions might inspire some self-examination of your own." Full Review
"This is not a declaration of wokeness. As it turns out, the likably entertaining Ms. Bent has something more urgent and complex on her mind, though the show doesn’t so much build as meander toward making that apparent...There’s self-flagellation, too, and ultimately a surprising poignancy, as she recounts a snarky piece she once wrote...She wishes that piece had gotten a better edit before it went out into the world. I wish something similar for 'Aloha, Aloha.'" Full Review
See it if You appreciate insightful one woman shows about a personal journey.
Don't see it if You prefer ensemble theater with fluffy content.
See it if you want an intimate, very funny show one woman show that doesn't feel like an excruciating experience (as one person shows sometimes do).
Don't see it if it gets a little heavy-handed with its message in the 3rd act, so if you don't want a politically correct show, I wouldn't recommend this.
See it if You enjoy a well written one woman show with a bit of an 80s flashback.
Don't see it if you're not woke... Or maybe it can help if you are not...
See it if you want to experience a quirky examination of appropriation, personal pitfalls, and the experience of being a young angry artist
Don't see it if you dislike solo performance pieces, require visual spectacle, or want to turn off your brain and relax.
Also Eliza's voice is profoundly unique. She is open, candid, hilarious, an... Read more Read less
See it if you enjoy intelligent story-telling based on personal experience that sheds light on how our socialization leads to unintended biases.
Don't see it if you dislike monologues or auto-biographicsl plays.
See it if a solo show that elicits great deal of humor from life journey taken by Eliza Bent & all characters she met along the way would thrill you
Don't see it if solo shows, home movies, cultural appropriation, women making less than men for same job would make you unhappy even skillfully presented
See it if you're into thought provoking, personal and personable one woman shows
Don't see it if You're looking for a more active show, as opposed to a humorous exploratory almost discussion.
See it if You enjoy to watch solo shows based on real life experiences. It was a treat to watch the very talented Elisa telling her story.
Don't see it if If you are armed to trash anything that comes from a privileged performer.
See it if you’d like to see a very personable performer ruminate on cultural privilege as it manifests itself within the world of cultural workers.
Don't see it if you’ve seen so many autobiographical solo shows that you no longer respond to them, no matter how heartfelt & important the message is.
Also Can dramatized ruminations about straight white cultural privilege, il... Read more Read less
See it if If you like a story about a solo women's life. Funny at times, low key.
Don't see it if with home movies or your uptight about a women who get's a lot of breaks in life.
See it if You love funny one woman shows that deal with the responsibility of being a privileged white woman in American society.
Don't see it if You don't like one woman shows, political pieces, or small scale events.
See it if Stories growing up and life experience. Funny at time and not to long.
Don't see it if One women story, small low key.
See it if You have time
Don't see it if you are sensitive to 'poor me' viewpoints
See it if - You want to see a white girl talking about white privilege. - The knit piece on the set is IMPECCABLE. - For the funny home movies.
Don't see it if You want a minority perspective on privilege: it's another white girl apologizing for her own privileged snafus.
Also This piece missed the mark for me. It's yet another white girl talking... Read more Read less
See it if you want theatre to make you think.
Don't see it if you want spectacle.
See it if you’re her: white, woke, in the entertainment industry; you’re ok w/ solo-shows-as-therapy-sessions.
Don't see it if you don’t feel obligated to laugh & make someone feel approved of when they make self-effacing jokes about occupying positions of privilege.
Also A soul-searching journey by someone trying to do the right thing. But ... Read more Read less
See it if you like great writing, honesty/vulnerability paired with humor and relevant social topics.
Don't see it if you don't like solo shows.
See it if you want to laugh while still thinking about racism and appropriation
Don't see it if ?
See it if you're interested in learning how to unpack privilege in a productive way
Don't see it if you're racist?
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