Two years ago, several beginning FSU Conservatory students did a regular "Asolo Late Night Series" stint with David Mamet's powerful play, American Buffalo, about three low-lifers who simulate businessmen to plan a "deal" of a robbery. Just before their last year toward the M.F.A., the student-actors now became what their Mamet characters are: entrepreneurs. For the experience, like a "post test" and for audience donations, they staged their own production of American Buffalo. I didn't see their first but their last compares favorably with an "official" one done full-blown much earlier on the same stage.
The cheaper "antique" shop set with even cheaper "things" and "stuff" strewn about seemed even closer to what Mamet clearly intended as a worthless "enterprise." In the rear, a brick wall nicely conveyed what the characters are, metaphorically, up against as they plot a robbery.
Store owner Don has sold a Buffalo nickel, found in a pile of junk by a customer with a good eye for valuable coins. Regretting his $90 sale as way too little, Don (cool Brent Bateman) intends to steal it, maybe get a collection. He'll let Bobby "The Kid" (full-of-pathos Kevin O'Callaghan, nervous as the user he can't shake being) act as his lookout. Don's also cut a card-playing buddy (never-seen Fletch) in on this "business" deal. This is destined to make aggressive Teach, who entered full of anger, still more hostile. (Jason Peck's Teach began as a half-lit fuse, then sizzled until igniting and in the end completely sparking off.)
Much of the banter among the men establishes their bonds -- or what passes for them. When Teach begins cutting Bobby off, Mamet's theme of friendship vs. business emerges. Only viable "action" is supposed to count. Ambitions trump ability to plan or to carry out the theft! (Comic ineptitudes of each help relieve the tension.)
It's a tribute to the actors that no matter how obvious it becomes that the proposed crime will never occur, they create suspense over why and what might happen instead. Ensuing violence is so well handled, it doesn't seem choreographed. Not often does an undirected piece come together as smoothly. But then, actors have good memories and precedents, as well as the ability to improvise.
With the shock of Mamet's vocabulary and raw characterizations and situation having worn off, his 1976 play seems to me less important than at its debut. Still, it was a historical breakthrough: a sort of "Look Forward In Anger." Particularly owing to its true language and rhythms, Buffalo has retained its ability to make actors do their best at being bad.
Brent Bateman, Kevin O'Callaghan, Jason Peck
