Review: MOON OVER BUFFALO at Castle Craig Players

On Saturday, October 10th, I had the pleasure of seeing yet another quality show performed by the Castle Craig Players at the Almira F. Stephan Memorial Playhouse in Meriden, CT, MOON OVER BUFFALO, a comedy written by Ken Ludwig. Director Ian Galligan helps bring out the best in this cast! Comedy drives this show with slapstick moments that entertain the whole audience!

The story is set in 1953, the set depicting the backstage area of a theater, from the perspective as if the audience was in the opposite direction.

Charles Schoenfield and Susan Kulp excel as George and Charlotte Hay, respectively, a married couple trying to remain relevant in the acting world, neither of whom is faithful to the other.  George is particularly amusing in act two when he gets drunk. Charles Schoenfield provides a very realistic portrayal of a drunk man bumbling around the stage. Susan Kulp is particularly amusing while whacking George with a magazine, repeatedly, after finding out that George had made another actress pregnant.

Emily Yates showcases her high talents in the role of Eileen, George’s mistress. Eileen is very moody, in the crying upset way, not angry. She is dishonest and manipulative.  

Martin Garcia provides a strong performance as Richard, the attorney who Charlotte is having an affair with, chronically telling Charlotte that she deserves better than George.

Lisa DeAngeles is brilliant as Rosalind, who is George and Charlotte’s daughter who does not want the acting life. She was dating an actor, but, as part of the story’s exposition, had left him and became engaged to a television weather reporter. She has inherited an unfaithful heart and lying tongue from her parents, however, and has an affair with her ex. This character is highly amusing at the beginning of the second act, when Rosalind is playing a role within the show, Rosalind deliberately showing no enthusiasm behind her lines, but with a strong British accent.

Susan Bailey is excellent as Ethel who is Charlotte’s mother and the seamstress for the show within the show. She is hard of hearing, creating quite the stir when she thought she was being asked to put alcohol into the coffee that was meant to sober George up. Without anyone else there at the moment, that is what happened, which only made George even more drunk.

Timothy Adams provides a quality performance in the role of Howard, Rosalind’s fiancé. Howard is shocked and scared by the crazy antics of Rosalind’s family, often mistaken by them for other people, leading to some parallel conversations and eventually, him being abducted by the family, and thrown into the backstage closet.

Jason Taylor steals the show in the role of Paul, who is Rosalind’s ex-boyfriend who she clearly was not over, despite being engaged to someone new. Paul still stays in the theater with Rosalind’s parents and grandmother, all of whom liked Paul and Rosalind being together as a couple. Jason Taylor’s stage presence and delivery make Paul the most entertaining character on stage. Jason Taylor maximizes this role, delivering lines and displaying mannerisms that create comedy beyond what was written into the script, a true talent!

The comedy is what drives this show, highlighted by a chase where the characters are constantly looking for each other, while going around in circles, missing each other along the way.

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