Writing sequels is tough work. Except for "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn," they almost never surpass the original.

But writing sequels is also very tempting. Especially when the original is well received and its characters have plenty of life left in them.

Edward Sakamoto gives in to that temptation with "Mahalo Las Vegas," the further adventures of Wally Fukuda (Dann Seki), who pulls up stakes in Liliha to head for the promised land on the advice of his longtime friend "California" Harry (Allan Okubo).

For audiences who delighted in the Kumu Kahua productions of Sakamoto's "Aloha Las Vegas" — a revival of which is running simultaneously with "Mahalo" — the new play offers a chance to find out what happened to Wally when he arrived.

But don't expect substantive commentary on the mass exodus of Hawai'i residents to the desert, or what their new Vegas lives might be like. While "Aloha" succeeded as a character comedy alternating between huge laughs and genuine sentiment, "Mahalo" plays as a situational farce. It takes a group of previously developed characters, then introduces and resolves a new problem element. The characters don't change much in the pro-cess.

In "Mahalo," Harry, after gambling away his money, has moved in with Wally. Daughter June (Janice Terukina) and husband Alvin (newly played by Ron Encarnacion in a casting switch) come to visit. Son Butch (Eric Mita) and wife Deedee (Salli Morita) seem to be doing well, with Butch working as a security guard and Deedee selling real estate.

The major problem arises in the form of two amorous mature women who independently decide to pursue Wally and Harry. "Pursue," in the sense of almost literally tying them down for sex. Think "old broads acting very broadly."

The minor problem — addressed in the first play — is Butch's decision to divorce Deedee because she can't get pregnant. Think "same song, second verse."

How it all works out becomes the spine of the action. Unfortunately, we fail to care.

Sylvia Hormann-Alper plays the harpy after Wally, her pidgin and oxtail soup still intact after years of Mainland living. Violet (Karen Hironaga), with a strangely meandering accent and suspected mobster ties, has set her eyes on Harry. The midnight scene in which the women spring their trap is a good approximation of what killed vaudeville.

Director Harry Wong III moves the action, but not the audience.

June and Alvin are minor players in this sequel and coast on the coattails of their characters from the original play. Harry has turned from oily to lachrymose, and Deedee's new career has her talking like one haole.

But Seki's Wally remains the rock of constancy in this farcical surf — solid, pragmatic and sensible.

"Mahalo Las Vegas" plays like a second visit that has us mostly reminiscing about the first.