AMERICAN BUFFALO to close Nov. 23- Page 3

[LadyDramaturg2]

Posted: 11/20/08 at 3:52pm

I was not so excited about the stunt-star-casting in this show, although when I read the play, I heard John L’s voice (in Teach) – it was uncanny.

The play (today) is problematic in the sense that what was aggressive and shocking in 1974 is no longer shocking. To direct it/play it as if we were still in the ‘70s would have been a disaster.

Some reviewers have praised Bob Falls’ having found (or going for) the humanity underneath the bluster of these characters’ connections, and I agree with those reviewers.

I suppose you could criticize each actors’ choices in the way they developed the characters – “John L’s Teach wasn’t aggressive enough…Haley’s Bobby was too whiny…” – I find that superficial. The focus should be on the nature of the connectedness between the three, and whether that connection brings us into the core of the play, gives us the meaning of the work.

Perhaps the audience would have “got it” if it had been played slightly more melodramatically, but I think that’s for lazy listeners. I thought John’s twitchy Teach was perfectly in line with the author’s intent, Cedric established a solid Big-Daddy after about the first 10 minutes of act one, and Haley, with so little to work with, was a revelation.

The Bobby character holds the mystery of the play, yet he is supposed to be “dim-witted,” either using or recovering from using heroin, and orphaned – but still has the wherewithal to scheme alongside Donny. To play him “retarded” is to miss the mark completely; to play him as a straight junkie would also be a mistake. My expectation was that Haley was an actor first, (movie actor second) and that he would have done the work necessary to develop the character in such a way that we would experience him as consistent with the forward motion of the story.

The part is so thin, and his performance fell so perfectly into place, that I think people missed it completely. I think that people’s pre-conceptions of seeing a scary, loud, bombastic play prevented them from seeing what was actually there.

My question was always, “why now?” What does this play have to tell us – really – now? [That one’s up for grabs.] But, losing the show due to early closure deprives us of three terrific performances, and it will be a shame to miss those.

It is a corruption that without The Big Three writing Raves, nowadays, you can’t make a go of it, and the ramifications of that are truly frightening.

[kooky]

Posted: 11/20/08 at 4:09pm

According to what I read in Playbill there was a provisional closing notice posted.
Maybe if MORE people found their way to the box office this show would last much
longer - - and more people would be able to see these 3 very good actors
in this historical play.

[HeyMrMusic]

Posted: 11/21/08 at 4:59pm

"Decision on American Buffalo's Future to Be Decided Nov. 24" according to Playbill:

http://www.playbill.com/news/article/123614.html

~Steven

[HamletWasBipolar]

Posted: 11/21/08 at 6:53pm

I think it was more bad planning/timing by the producers. Broadway rarely will have two Sondheims running at the same time, and the truth holds for 2 Mamet's. Speed-the-Plow has gotten good reviews, so one will inevitable compare the two. One won the battle, one lost. Should never have happened at the same time.

[blaxx]

Posted: 11/21/08 at 7:01pm

John Leguizamo, Cedric the Entertainer and Haley Joel Osment may play their final performance in American Buffalo Sunday, Nov. 23, but they won't know whether it was their last performance until the following day.

Fun! "Maybe see you tomorrow night , guys, if not have a good life!"

[frogs_fan85]

Posted: 11/21/08 at 7:26pm

How the hell can think about extending the show beyond Sunday when they stopping selling tickets for next week?!?!? They could have not built up any more of an advance, so all they have to work with is the advance that they had before they announced the closing. This is completely idiotic and a horrible way to treat the cast and crew.

[ColorTheHours048]

Posted: 11/21/08 at 8:23pm

Wow. Like an idiot, I didn't even think of that. How the hell can your advance sales improve drastically if there isn't any way to buy advance tickets?

[thetinymagic2]

Posted: 11/21/08 at 9:37pm

You ain't kidding frogs_, a horrible way to treat cast, crew and theatre employees, and Thanksgiving week, to boot. Oh, BTW, the marketing guy was there tonight I believe the show is definitely closing Sunday.
On the other hand, my mom who lives in NJ
says there's been a ton of local advertsing. Who knows.

[frogs_fan85]

Posted: 11/21/08 at 9:44pm

I keep seeing this oddly edited tv commerical with a nickel spinning around a window card. They had to cut together a bunch of clips because the nickel obviously would keep falling over. Amazing production budget. A window card, a nickel and a camera. Oh and the guy to spin the nickel.

[HeyMrMusic]

Posted: 11/22/08 at 1:47am

My dad saw that commercial and because of the people involved thought it would be like a stand-up comedy type play. Oops.

~Steven

[RentBoy86]

Posted: 11/22/08 at 2:04am

Well, the failure of this play can't be blamed on no marketing - like that of [title of show].

[A Director]

Posted: 11/22/08 at 3:51am

Was the show marketed to Leguizamos' and Cedric's fans? I think American Buffalo is a better play than Speed-The-Plow. AB has more to say to us now than STP.

[title of show] has limited appeal.

[ColorTheHours048]

Posted: 11/22/08 at 10:57am

The PR wasn't really targeted towards any of the leads' fan bases. It was just a general "Here they are. The three of them." There were three separate radio ads, though, that had each of the three men doing their own ad.