I remember a time in my life when the world didn’t know the name Harry Potter. The first time I came across the series was when I discovered a beaten-up copy of The Sorcerer’s Stone at the bottom of a bargain barrel at a local wholesale retailer. The paperback looked like it had gone through the wringer, with the lower corner of the cover bent and the pages frayed. I distinctly remember looking at the novel in my hands and thinking, “Wow… I’m never going to read this stupid book,” I stood by that until my sister forced me to sit down and listen to her read it aloud. Now, I can easily recite the book from memory, as the series has been a distinct part of my personality for decades. However, another story parallels Harry’s, one that Puffs is looking to tell.
Technically titled Puffs, or Seven Increasingly Eventful Years at a Certain School of Magic and Magic, playwright Matt Cox originally developed this parody back in 2015. While the Gryffindors are seen as the heroes of the children’s novel series, Puffs looks at the consistently glossed-over Hogwarts house, Hufflepuffs, the “rejects” of the magic school. Puffs brings a healthy dose of hilarity to the action-adventure book series, poking fun at the ridiculousness of the concept. Filled with meta-references that those who grew up reading the novels will appreciate, Puffs knows its target audience and runs with it.
Making audiences laugh until there were tears in their eyes, St. Dunstan’s production is the perfect way to celebrate a novel that defined a generation—looking for more of what to expect from this Bloomfield Hills, Michigan theatre? Continue to see what Puffs magicks up for audiences looking for a beautiful night out at the theater.
[Warning: Spoilers from St. Dunstan’s Theatre’s Puffs are below!]
Wayne Hopkins is definitely not Harry Potter in St. Dunstan’s Theatre’s Puffs
Harry Potter changed the Wizarding World the day he vanquished The Dark Lord; the only problem is that he doesn’t remember doing so. Being a baby at the time might have something to do with it, making him famous for something he has no recollection of. However, he isn’t the only orphaned wizarding boy from around that period, as Wayne Hopkins is in a similar spot. Unlike Harry, who stays in London, Wayne is shipped off to live with his uncle in New Mexico, none the wiser about his magical abilities.
So imagine Wayne’s (Matthew Cross) surprise when an owl delivers a letter inviting him to a magical school where he’ll hone his abilities amongst other students his age. He’s thrust into a foreign world for various reasons and brought in front of the entire school to be sorted into one of four houses. The “Braves,” who are courageous; the “Smarts,” who are known for their intelligence; the “Snakes,” who are conniving and evil; and The “Puffs,” made up of the remainder of the children not sorted into one of the first three.
The Puffs are an overflow of such, often overlooked by every other house and nearly all the professors. As a house, they are always coming in fourth place in the House competition, but our new group of Puffs are ready to prove their worth and win the house cup!
Joining Wayne in this noble endeavor are Megan Jones (Kristin Pages Quinlan), who is born from a long line of Snakes and resistant to embracing the Puffs way, and Oliver (Jeff Rogner), who is the first in his family to have magic and also happens to be a math wizard. This trio bands together, much like Harry finds Hermione and Ron in the novels.
As the years progress and the Wizarding World falls into disarray, the Puffs must band together to survive. It’s not easy living in Harry’s world, which comes with unprecedented levels of danger around every corner. Can the Puffs rise to the occasion and help vanquish The Dark Lord (Jordan Reed) once again?
Non-stop laughter from the hilarious Puffs
Before attending St Dunstan’s Theatre’s Puffs production, I knew it was a comedy based on the Harry Potter novels. A beloved series from my childhood, and I get to laugh? Sold, where do I sign? However, I don’t think anything could have prepared me for how funny this show truly is. There are so many different levels of humor coming from every direction, layered on top of each other and served joke after joke.
There’s almost a neverending stream of comedy coming to audiences, with enough variety in the jokes to appeal to a wide range of viewers. A lot of the jokes are low-bar, poking fun at sex, which is never not funny, but some only make sense once you stop and think about them for a bit. I was surprised by the variation, as part of me expected a show aimed at a younger crowd. After all, this is a spoof of a children’s book series, but truthfully, this is a show written for adults who grew up reading the novels.
In fact, Puffs is even more hilarious if you are familiar with the source material. So many meta-jokes bring another layer of humor to the show, which itched a part of my nerdy brain. Some of these jokes would have flown over the heads of a casual audience goer who has never read the books or seen the movies. Still, they truly enhance the experience for those looking for a deeper look and analysis of a childhood favorite.
Puffs has an all-star cast that shines brightly
I won’t lie to you, readers; community theater is only a recent endeavor for me. While I grew up on musicals, most of them were on the silver screen, or occasionally, we’d catch a show that toured in Detroit. A few times, we did attend a community theater production, although my grandma usually brought about those instances. It wasn’t until I met my co-host of The Cosmic Curtain that I attended these shows more frequently. He has a passion for it, having grown up in and out of shows.
With that being said, I think there can sometimes be a snootiness to those who frequently attend bigger Broadway productions that community theater doesn’t contain as much talent as the larger shows. After all this time of reviewing shows of every level, I can definitely say that can’t be further from the truth.
There’s no denying the level of talent and love that the cast and crew of St. Dunstan’s Puffs have put into this production. Seriously (all pun intended), there isn’t a weak member on stage, as each and every star is just that—a star in their own right. Obviously, many props must go to Matthew Cross, who serves as the narrative thread throughout Puffs. He’s the antithesis of Harry Potter, who just wants to be a hero and do the right thing. Cross takes Wayne through all the quintessential growing-up moments from a small child to a young adult. I saw a lot of myself in Wayne, to whom Cross brings a plethora of humanity and kindness.
Joining Cross as a personal favorite was Jeff Rogner as Oliver. There’s nothing like a sidekick with a personality, and Oliver has personality in aces. Oliver is perhaps the biggest of all the nerds in the Puffs house, which I could relate to personally. I was always the most giant nerd in my classes, excelling through my lessons and getting teased relentlessly. Seeing someone who is so much like myself thrust into a world of magic, which I’ve always wanted to live in, was like watching a dream come to life before my eyes. Rogner is a driving motivation to wanting to see this production of Puffs again, as I’ve never related so hard to a character and loved every minute of him on stage.
Lauren Neuwirth is charming as always, as a Puff and in other wicked roles throughout the show. Neuwirth knows her way around a stage and makes it look easy, switching between characters in mere moments and never breaking. Star power cannot easily be ignored, and with the gravity in which Neuwirth pulls you in, we can certainly see that fact to be true.
Sharing the role of headmaster and just as impressive as Neuwirth was Luke Bahrou, who also plays Ernie Mac and other roles. Bahrou’s comedic timing is like none other in Puffs, with perfectly laid jokes that struck me right in the funny bone. His version of Dumbledore was perhaps one of the most incredible things I’ve seen in recent years, and I loved every minute of it. Will I be looking out for Bahrou’s name in future productions from across the Metro Detroit area? Absolutely.
And, of course, where would we be without our narrator, Joe Allen? Allen is the true connective tissue of the play, the interface between the show and the audience. He interacts directly with the audience in plenty of moments, bringing them into the show and making Puffs almost interactive as viewers become a part of the narrative. Having that interface makes the show more approachable for all audience members, and Allen was the perfect person for that role.
Don’t miss this delightful production from St. Dunstan’s Theatre!
There’s only one more weekend to catch St. Dunstan’s Theatre’s Puffs, and this is definitely not a show to miss! As someone who grew up with Harry Potter, this show was made with those like me in mind, however, there’s something in the show that everyone can join, regardless of their familiarity with the source material. You’ll laugh, cry, and cheer along with the rest of the audience. There wasn’t a single person in the crowd who wasn’t eating Puffs up, making for an even more enjoyable show.
Puffs runs through October 26th at St. Dunstan’s Theatre! What community shows have you seen recently? Let us know on social media @mycosmiccircus or @boxseatbabes!
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