Laurence Fishburne, Sam Rockwell and Darren Criss all star in the David Mamet play, American Buffalo. This raw and gritty production delves into the late 1970s in New York, where a recovering drug addict, a conman and a secondhand wares dealer all come together in what can only be described as a smack down dirty look at humanity.
Donny (Laurence Fishburne) runs a secondhand goods store and has hired Bobby (Darren Criss) as a helper come cleaner of the store. They witness a customer purchase a nickel for $90 and suspect it is valued at significantly more, so they ask Teach (Sam Rockwell) to assist it getting it back from the customer.
Directed by Neil Pepe, American Buffalo, was originally set to open March 2020, but had to be mothballed due to the pandemic. But almost two years later the show has finally opened.
What is being presented on stage is something that is a little dirty, very real and almost a glimpse into the life of people who are desperate to get a break to get ahead by any means. This trio of characters are all from a walk of life that has been hard on them. They have learned how to survive from the mean streets and it shows.
Written by David Mamet, American Buffalo first premiered in 1975 and is known as a rough piece of theater that is filled with swearing that symbolizes the difficulty of their situation. Often described as “vulgar” this play is the epitome of people who have grown up in a rough environment and know no different ways of living.
Laurence Fishburne on stage is captivating. It is a real treat to see him perform. His portrayal of Donny is mesmerizing as it seems like this was a role he was born to play. He encapsulates the role and it is like second nature to him to present it in such a way that it is effortless but also you can see a lot of work has gone into this performance. Laurence Fishburne is a major reason to see American Buffalo.
Darren Criss as Bobby is a nice surprise. Known for his performances in Glee and The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story. Darren Criss is an actor that we need to see more on stage and especially in challenging roles that test his acting chops, as he is here for the challenge. Darren Criss is almost unrecognizable in the role and he proves yet again he is a good actor that definitely deserves more complex roles.
American Buffalo is a great Mamet play that explores the depths of humanity and how far people will go to get something back that they feel they deserve. This is a play that highlights the brutality of living on the wrong side of the tracks and how much harder it is for these people to get ahead when all they know is a dishonest way of living.
American Buffalo is currently playing for a very limited season at Circle in the Square on Broadway.
