More Johnny Bravo, less Johnny Fever

(Francis Guinan, Patrick Andrews and Tracy Letts in American Buffalo photo by Michael Brosilow)

I've been letting American Buffalo rattle around in my head for the past few days before writing. I loved the play and didn't realize when reading it how funny some of the lines can be. The set design in this production is amazing; I had a seat in the center, second row and it was hard not to wander up and rummage around inside the drawers and bins and cabinets. I also never noticed how much of an offstage but always present figure Ruthie is. As prominent in the group as Fletch.

What was hard for me to deal with was the undercurrent of stupidity in the characters that was sometimes played for laughs. They were dim-witted rather than downtrodden. I've always read them as small-time guys with "big" plans that are not even very big. "Big" plans they'll never be able to carry out. They're cast offs like the stuff in the shop.

Losers. Yes.
Pathetic. Yes.
But not oafs or morons.

Bobby was the most blatant but Teach was the hardest for me. I have a very specific image in my head of what Teach looks like and it's neither Al Pacino nor Dustin Hoffman. I can picture everything from his side burns (70s but not silly) to his boots (cowboy but not too flashy.) His jacket is a rust or burgundy leather car coat. He is lean and lanky with dark hair. He's manipulative and not as smart as he thinks, but not stupid either. He's cunning and makes things up on the spot with a vague plan to deal with things when they come up.

The way that Tracy Letts played him really messed with those expectations. That's good because I listened carefully and re-read the play when I got home. I also Netflixed the Dustin Hoffman movie to watch again, but it arrived in two-pieces so I'll have to wait a bit longer. I'm trying to be open minded but when it comes down to it, I don't like Teach played as a baffoon or looking like a schlubby Dr. Johnny Fever who is always hiking up his polyester pants. That undermines some of the brilliant Mamet dialogue. Maybe it is an interesting foil for it but I'm not feeling that right now.

This is, however, no criticism of Dr. Johnny Fever. I loved WKRP in Cincinnati (although at the time I remember thinking Bailey was not only prettier than Jennifer but the same person as Mrs. Kotter) and wish it was available on DVD with the original music.