Puffs

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PUFFS

Photo: Hunter Canning

Cititour.com Review
By its main title alone, you could be forgiven for thinking “Puffs” is about cigarettes, tissues, or even magic dragons. But once you see its subtitle “Seven Increasingly Eventful Years at a Certain School of Magic and Magic,” there can be little doubt that J.K. Rowling’s fictional world is the inspiration for Matt Cox’s often-inspired comedy, which has just moved to New World Stages for an open-ended run.

So, first things first: if (like me) you have little or no familiarity with the books and movies devoted to Harry Potter, you can still find enough to laugh at here, thanks primarily to a smart script and an expert and committed cast. If, however, you can name all seven of Rowling’s books or seen their film versions, you will likely be laughing uproariously at the endless in-jokes about changing headmasters, golden eggs, and a pair of broomsticks. (Now I know what it felt like to see “Spamilton” without seeing “Hamilton.”

The story, here, is not about Harry, Ron and Hermoine, but rather the young wizards who live in another “house” at the unnamed institution of magic. The Puffs are the school’s laughingstocks, and those chosen to live there (by the famed sorting hat) hardly seem destined to greatness – most notably, our three protagonists: Wayne (the thoroughly endearing Zac Moon), a chubby kid from New Mexico who suddenly learns he has magical powers; Oliver (the fine Langston Belton), a math nerd far more comfortable with algebra than abracadabra, and Megan (the excellent Julie Ann Earls), who tries to live up to her estranged mother’s reputation for meanness, but is basically a marshmallow in Goth makeup. As this trio matures and forms unbreakable bonds of friendship (platonic and otherwise), all of us can relate to our teenage years.

Under Kristin McCarthy Parker’s savvy direction, each actor in the 11-person cast (many playing multiple roles) gets their chance to shine. Among my favorites are James Fouhey as the suave yet sweet Cedric, Andy Miller as the over-sensitive yet hilariously dimwitted Leanne, and A.J. Ditty who is sardonic perfection as the narrator, often flustered by condensing that septet of tremendous tomes into one 100-minute show. But there isn’t a weak link in the cast, including Madeline Bundy, who has contributed a clever array of sets, costumes, and props (complete with a few “special effects”).
While the show’s ending (spoiler alert) takes both sad and happy turns, I don’t think you’ll need either those tissues or cigarettes (never mind, the magic dragons). “Puffs” is happy to be the kind of lightweight entertainment that blows into the night.


Visit the Site
http://www.puffstheplay.com

Cast
Langston Belton, Madeleine Bundy, Jessie Cannizzaro, Nick Carrillo, Anna Dart, A.J. Ditty, Julie Ann Earls, James Fouhey, Jake Keefe, Andy Miller, Zac Moon, Eleanor Philips, Stephen Stout

Open/Close Dates
Opening 9/29/2016
Closing 9/29/2019

Box Office
212-239-6200

Theatre Info
New World Stages
340 West 50th Street
New York, NY 10019
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