Review: BUYER & CELLAR Delights at RENAISSANCE

“Memories light the corners of my mind.” In melodramatic fashion, Barbra singing that pensive tune will play over my fond memories of Buyer & Cellar at Renaissance Theaterworks. Directed by Ray Jivoff and starring Doug Clemons, this quirky and charming one-man show is a delight not to be missed—particularly for fans of the incomparable Barbra Streisand. 

Written by Jonathan Tolins, Buyer & Cellar opened off-Broadway in 2013. I recall hearing about it at the time: a play about a man who goes to work in Barbra Streisand’s fantastical, mall-like basement. What a treat for Renaissance to bring this work to life for Milwaukee audiences.

Milwaukeeans will appreciate the fact (not fiction) that Barbra Streisand displays her collectibles—dolls, gifts, antiques, even frozen yogurt—in a series of old time-y storefronts in her basement. It’s very Streets of Old Milwaukee à la the Milwaukee Public Museum. In Buyer & Cellar, Alex, an out of work actor, takes a job as the shopkeep in Barbra’s basement. Everyday, he organizes, dusts, and waits for the lady of the house to (maybe) pay him a visit. 

The charismatic Clemons embodies everyone from Alex to Alex’s boyfriend to Barbra herself. His performance sucks you in from the get-go with top-notch storytelling and hilarious "dialogue"—all Clemons, of course. There are out-loud laughs and moments wistful and winsome. The whole thing is really cute—a fantastical, absurd, and imaginative premise to awaken the Barbra fangirl in all of us. After all, she’s a legend—an extraordinary person and presence. 

The simple, elegant set (Lisa Schlenker) features a fainting couch situated in front of a large projection screen (Tony Churchill) that does much of the heavy lifting. On the screen, we’re treated to real images of Barbra’s estate, basement, and other stills. For more imagery and stories of Barbra’s basement, look no further than the book that inspired Buyer & Celler: Barbra’s book My Passion for Design.

The only caveat when it comes to Buyer & Cellar? There are a lot of pop culture and classic film references that you either know or you don’t. It doesn’t make the play any less enjoyable if some of these sail over your head (as they did for me)—but I imagine, if every reference lands, it makes Buyer & Cellar that much more of a pleasure.

Photo Credit: Renaissance Theaterworks

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