(OUTscene NW) Theater Re-view: SRT's American Buffalo is a MUST-SEE 'Dirty' Classic!

SRT

by MK Scott 

American Buffalo is a modern Day Classic, and as Part of its 50th Anniversary season now being performed on the Seattle Repertory Theater stage. 

American Buffalo is a 1975 play by American playwright David Mamet which had its premiere in a showcase production at the Goodman Theatre, Chicago. After two more showcase productions, it opened on Broadway on February 16, 1977. Critic Frank Rich called it "one of the best American plays of the last decade." In 1996, I saw the Film on cable starring Dustin Hoffman, Dennis Franz, and Sean Nelson.

During one long day in a run–down junk shop, three men of great ambition and low morals plan a heist of a customer’s valuable coin collection. When the con goes awry, it’s every man for himself. This fast paced drama is all aggression and testosterone, with characters wielding words like weapons to intimidate, cajole and manipulate each other. The results are hilarious, powerful and ultimately tragic in a play that’s recognized as a modern masterpiece.

The SRT Cast consisted of Charles Leggett (Donny), Hans Altwies (Teach) and the 'Adorable' Zachary Simonson (Bobby).

A good portion of the show was the banter between Leggett (who is wise and has the smarts) and Altwies (who starts off as a scene stealer, but later become a greedy sociopath). The adorable Simonson comes in to the scene and is convincing as he stammers through his dialogue.

As it is in most Modern Literature of the time, the dialogue had a fair share of 4 letter words and profanity, that shocked most of the older folks in the audience.

The Set was literally a Junk pile with a 4 Level scaffolding with Junk hanging and sitting (Most likely from the SRT Prop room or Goodwill) was designed by Eugene Lee, the production designer for Saturday Night Live.

This production had great chemistry with its actors, maybe too much? When Teach was smoking (numerous times), so was Donny. The result was the smell of Cigarette smoke that could be smelled on the Main Floor. Perhaps it would have worked if only one smoked at a time, rather than both.

The climax was intense and exciting and I could tell Altwies was enjoying his rampage of destoying the set to a cluttered mess.

American Buffalo is a Must-See, but if are anti-smoking and Anti-Profanity (who is?) then stay Home.

American Buffalo runs through 2/3. Tickets at SeattleRep.org.