Photo courtesy of J. Stubbs Photography (https://jstubbsphotographyvb.com/)

If you aren’t sure what you are in for when walking into LTVB to see “Moon Over Buffalo”, just take a second (after taking your seat) to read David Kutteroff’s bio in the playbill; you’ll immediately know just how farce-y this farce is (answer: extremely).  Playwright Ken Ludwig (we wonder if LTVB got a two-for-one licensing deal after having done Ludwig’s “Crazy For You” last season) doesn’t hold back on any of the elements of a straight-up theatrical comedy.  We’ve got…

• Overlapping love triangles (err… a love heptagon?), 
• Multiple mistaken identities,
• A two-hour period where most characters’ personal and/or professional lives are at stake,
• A show that must go on (and confusion over what that show is going to be),
• Enough doors on stage to effectively pull off any necessary Benny Hill-esque shenanigans.

It is also a show about actors – which means that director Peter Fagan can have everyone fully play into their most dramatic instincts on stage – for we know that all actors are even more dramatic offstage than they are onstage. 

The show centers around a very messy showbusiness family, led by married couple George and Charlotte Hay, middle-aged actors who have had pretty successful careers, although that earlier success has now faded to performing in repertory roles in Buffalo, New York – despite their attempts to land something bigger.  Their professional frustrations have also led to personal marital disinterest on both sides – George has apparently knocked up one of the other members of the repertory cast, Eileen (played by Gillian Belote), and Charlotte has decided to solve her money problems by eloping with their longtime lawyer Richard (Ted Kaufman).  Performing the leading roles are Bruce Hermans and Rebekah Barnhill – and their willingness to completely buy into the parts is essential and evident.  Barnhill’s facial expressions are hilarious throughout as her character slaloms her way between trying to smile through the drama, then deciding to leave, then back again.  Meanwhile, George turns to that great elixir of liquid courage to face his problems early in the show, and Hermans spends the next couple of hours slowly becoming more hysterically drunk – but with amusing moments of clarity (like when he declares that he “has greatly underestimated coffee”).

As actors themselves, George and Charlotte are the rare parents who want to push their daughter Rosalind into pursuing a career as an actress, despite her objections.  Anna Super does a nice job in the role of Rosalind, who is often the “straight-man” of this comedy act, trying to keep everyone in line (or at least, in one piece – and making their call times for the matinee performance that is also serving as her parents’ audition for a potential movie role).  Rosalind is only in town because she is trying to announce her engagement to weatherman Howard, played by Ryan Kearns, who gets the feel of “just wanting to make a good impression on the in-laws” just right – and has no idea what he is in for.  Her parents, of course, have other ideas, believing that her former flame (and current company manager) Paul is in fact the Romeo to her Juliet.  Alan Mathews is this production’s Paul – and his particular brand of over-acting fits right into this band of crazy.  Mathews doesn’t hold back in any line delivery, and his many, many poses as they try to cover up George’s drunkenness on stage had the audience laughing out loud.   

And we can’t forget about Karen Buchheim, this being our first time seeing her on stage rather than in her consistently impressive directing/choreographing/costuming roles (even taking home an ACT-y this past season).  Buchheim is the sharp-tongued Ethel, Charlotte’s mother (Rosalind’s grandmother).  Her pointed one-liners are bitter fun and were our favorite moments of the show, and Buchheim’s delivery is spot on as Ethel wanders through life half (or maybe more than half) deaf. 

I can’t say that this show provides any important social commentary or makes any powerful points about how you should live your life (although it certainly shows a few ways I wouldn’t suggest).  But sometimes you just need a farce to make you smile and wrap up in a surprising way, leaving (spoiler alert) every character happy… sort of (except, of course, the lawyer – for their happiness is totally driven by their billing rates – am I right)? 

(New this season, our wonderful cat Pepper wanted her voice heard as well, if you all will oblige her…)

Pepper’s Purr-fect Picks: How dare they fat shame a cat!  Thyroid problems can be very serious in the kitty population.  One paw down!

(Pepper also canonically sells concessions at the various community theaters.  She always comes up with a themed drink special, which is for entertainment purposes only and notably IS NOT in fact available for purchase)

Pepper’s Drink Special: “The Buffalo Wing Delight” – a virgin Bloody Mary (which is just the tomato juice with some seasoning) garnished with a buffalo wing and a sliver of celery.  You know how you can just put a whole meal on top of a Bloody Mary sometimes and everyone is cool with that?