We are all the heroes of our own story, even if we’re the side character in someone else’s much more well-known tale. That’s the conceit of RWU StageCo’s newest production, Puffs, written by Matt Cox, directed by Ry Goodell, and performed just the other week on January 31st and February 1st. This play balances humor and heart as we follow the Puffs, the overlooked house at a wizarding school, whose lives are repeatedly interrupted by another, more famous story. One centered on a boy who is apparently so important that he has seven books and eight movies devoted to him. Over the course of the show’s two acts, we laughed our butts off while also having our hearts warmed as we saw what it means to be a Puff, a friend, and a hero.
The story of this play runs parallel to the Harry Potter books and movies as we follow Wayne Hopkins, a magical child from the US who receives an acceptance letter by owl and is whisked off to England to begin his magical education. Along the way, he meets Oliver Rivers, a brainiac who’s a bit out of his depth at this new magic school due to its lack of math classes, and Megan Jones, the edgy daughter of an evil witch who hates being associated with what she feels is the least common denominator house. We also see Wayne’s dreams of being the chosen one and the greatest wizard of all time get dashed as we see the story of Harry Potter playing out in the background, and our heroes realize they’re stuck dealing with the consequences of the actual chosen one’s story.
This show is first and foremost a comedic riff on the story and lore of Harry Potter, and it takes full advantage of every detail present in the novels and films, transforming them into fantastic gags, bits, and one-liners. One of the earliest recurring bits in the play is Harry talking to a red-headed mop and wig-bust that serve as this show’s only reference to Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger. Other highlights include Quidditch being described as just a bunch of different balls, fun wordplay related to the strange names of various spells and characters, and several jabs at the expense of actors and production of the movies. However, the comedy isn’t just limited to riffing on the source material. There are a lot of great instances of prop comedy with a long list of magical curses, from a training wand that’s just a stick with a tennis ball on the end, to a banner that reads “No Being Too Sad” and a sad character immediately slumping into it. On top of that, the show’s omniscient narrator breaks the fourth wall and has amazingly hilarious bits with both the writers and the characters. This show is packed with plenty of great jokes, and every cast member brings excellent comedic timing and delivery.
While Puffs is amazingly funny, it’s not all laughs. The play gets you legitimately invested in the characters and what they have going on in their lives. Alec Corrado really shines as Wayne Hopkins, starting with him being thrilled to be admitted into a new magical world, before eventually being beaten down by the apparent meaninglessness of his place in it. But through all of the trials and tribulations, Wayne stands by his friends and in the end learns that we are all important and that failure is the best form of practice. Jack Beasley brings an endearing and dorky performance as Oliver Rivers, really selling the character being out of depth in a world he’s not prepared to navigate, being incredibly taken aback given his success in normal school. His friendship with Wayne and eventual relationship with Megan feels both very genuine and heartfelt, giving extra weight to the events that occur throughout the story. And rounding out the show’s big three, Riley McConnell gives a great amount of nuance in her performance as Megan Jones. Initially coming onto the scene as an edgy girl trying to take after her evil witch mother, played extremely well herself by Audrey Belanger, we see her perspective throughout the play change as she begins to warm up to the Puffs and sees that her mom whom she’s been idolizing isn’t all that great after all.
Every other Puff, including Jesse Canapp as Cedric Diggory, Bailey Lennon as Susie Bones, Charlotte Beebee as Hannah, Hannah Driscoll-Carignan as Ernie Mac, Kristine Johnson as Leanne, Jack Bates as J. Finch Fletchley, and Bridget Long as Sally Perks, have their own character arcs that pay off to great effect in the play’s climax as well.
The show’s hysterical and sincere characters shine through thanks to its amazing set, costumes, and props. The stage in the Performing Arts Center was transformed into a fantastic traverse theater, with the audience seated along the two long walls, facing each other across the stage. The floor was painted and the backstage entrances decorated to resemble an old medieval castle that fully brings you into the wizarding world. The costumes for the show are also top notch, with everyone wearing something that perfectly fits the feel of their character. The best example of which is Wayne Hopkins’ shirts, which are all graphic tees from various fandoms, showing how he’s familiar with the tropes of this scenario and expected to be the chosen one. The show’s props are fantastic as well, with a standout being a puppet Dementor that was expertly crafted and looked genuinely menacing. Overall, this play was extremely well put together from a technical perspective.
Puffs was an absolutely stellar play, filled with hysterical comedy, heartfelt characters, great performances from across the board, and amazing technical elements. The audience was laughing their butts off one moment, then cheering the next. And the show was also a great experience for the actors as well. To quote the lead actor, Alec Corrado, “Being a part of Puffs has been one of the greatest acting experiences of my life. Being able to tackle my first starring role among some of my best friends in the cast and crew was a wonderful experience, and I’m so thankful for it.” And when asked what he would say to any prospective actors in our student body, Alec said, “Honestly? Just do it. Show up to the auditions and throw it all out there. I know it seems intimidating but the best thing you can do is put yourself out there. And don’t be afraid to ask for pointers or help!”
So, for anyone interested in pursuing acting at this school in any form, check out StageCo’s Instagram (@rwu_stageco) and take the leap. Even if it’s daunting, if your experience is anything like Puffs, it’ll be more than worth it.
