Awesome American Buffalo at the Gamm

I must admit that I was not looking forward to a Sunday afternoon at Gamm, watching a play that I did not like the first time I saw it. Further disappointment followed when I saw the movie version, filmed just down the street from Gamm, and starring Dustin Hoffman and Dennis Franz.

So what could Director Tyler Dobrowsky and three local actors bring to this play that would change my mind?

Let’s start with the two-level set Don’s Resale Junk Shop, filled with more junk than you’ll find in a Pawtucket pawnshop.

Most important is the acting. The pairing of Tony Estrella as the high strung Teach and Fred Sullivan Jr. as the calm to volatile-in-two-seconds Donny is pure brilliance.

Estrella and Sullivan find more humor, pathos and out-of-control emotion in their characters than Hoffman and Franz and others in the role have managed. Their constant verbal battles are so perfectly timed, so explosive, and just so darn good that I found new meaning and humor in David Mamet’s writing.

The plot isn’t much to get excited about: Donny and Teach make plans to rob a man of a possibly valuable Buffalo nickel. Things get a bit complicated and tense when the third crook doesn’t show and Donny’s young protégé messes things up.

That’s about it. If you want plot, look elsewhere. But if you want a portrayal of three low-life losers, look no further.

Teach’s irrational behavior reminds you of a guy on speed, heading for one big crash. Sullivan plays Donny as a man who works hard to control his temper and emotions until one word sends him off on a tirade. But wait, this is a three-character play.What about Marc Dante Mancini’s role as the young, naive Bobby?

The two strong, unrelenting older men manhandle Mancini’s Bobby; his character is overpowered physically and verbally by them. He takes a back seat to the performances of these two great actors, and he carries out his role perfectly. He may be dumb, weak, and even unreliable, but you care for him.

A warning: there is a great deal of profanity that may offend some, but if you can accept the language as would be expected by low-life thugs and pay attention to the other words coming out of their mouths, you will find the humor and occasional wisdom hidden in the dialogue.

American Buffalo is an actor’s play, and these three actors make it come alive in their incredible performances. At Gamm Theatre through December 18. Tickets are $44 to $52. Call 723-4266 for reservations.