Review: Hufflepuffs represent Hogwarts in comedy spoof

On Friday Feb.10, the Utah State University Theater Department performed “Puffs, or Seven Increasingly Eventful Years at a Certain School of Magic and Magic” at the Black Box Theatre, directed by guest director Brittania Howe. 

Matt Cox, the playwright, wrote on his website, “The play is for anyone who has ever felt like a secondary character in someone else’s story.” 

In the “Harry Potter” book series, new students are sorted into one of four houses: Slytherin, Gryffindor, Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff. The play focuses on a group of “Puffs,” from the often sidelined Hufflepuff house. Following their adventures attending wizarding school, these forgotten characters may be in for more than they bargained for, including ample love, enthralling magic and gruesome death.  

The Puffs realized failure is part of what makes them who they are, and being together with those they love is the most powerful magic of all. Everyone can be the hero of their own story. 

Hufflepuff hero, Wayne, wanted to change the world but was continually sidelined. This gave him the opportunity to accept his story, while different, could be important.  

Grace Garner, who played Puff Leanne, said she hoped audience members would take away from the play it is magical to be kind and to love each other.   

“You can find a lot of joy in community,” Garner said.  

Attending the play, you could truly experience the community built by the actors through their interaction with the audience. Each performance created a new community brought together through the stage. 

The USU theater department had the task of balancing humor with emotional topics such as finding purpose and identity amongst chaos. 

Howe’s history in directing gave her experience in helping the actors continue to develop skills that brought the show to life.  

Jonah Newton, who played Oliver Rivers, said he really loved working with Howe.  

“She directed a play I performed in when I was 11, so I was excited when I found out she was directing,” Newton said.  

The front row of audience members experienced direct interactions when characters broke the fourth wall — expanding the stage itself, Death-Eater-healing chocolate, slumber party invitations, tournament flags, prop creation and  ample tissues for the plethora of death during the last act. 

The actors had large amounts of self-control, maintaining a straight face during small skits intermingled with improvised dialogue that left the audience cackling.  

Along with onstage costume transitions purposefully dramatized to great effect, reigning in on-stage emotions was difficult, but the actors remained successful. 

USU student Morgan Meyers said their favorite moment was when Voldemort did Pilates. 

“I could not keep myself together,” Meyers said.  

For those who had read the Harry Potter books or watched the movies, the play was filled with Easter egg references that took surface level jokes a lot deeper, such as Cedric Diggory’s Batman costume and sparking skin suit. 

One thing can be said for certain — you just had to be there. There is no way to properly describe the broom characters, the romance, Mad-Eye Moody and countless other aspects of the performance.  

No doubt the actors deserved their standing ovation, for they truly created a piece of magic.

Featured photo courtesy of Utah State Today