On Friday, December 6th and Saturday December 7th, Patriot Productions delivered an unforgettable performance of Matt Cox’s Puffs, or Seven Increasingly Eventful Years at a Certain School of Magic. AThis play was a both heartwarming and hilarious spinoff of the Harry Potter series. Although several aspects of the infamous series were not named in the show, including the four House names, it focused on the often overlooked Hufflepuff House, or Puffs, among the Braves (Gryffindors), Smarts (Ravenclaws), and Snakes (Slytherins).
The play opened with a prologue told by the narrator, senior Veronica Girandola. She set the stage and introduced us to the main character, Wayne Hopkins, played by Danny Lanza. After finding out that he’s a wizard, he arrives in London to attend a certain wizard school and is sorted into the “Puffs” house. This was followed by a scene called “Welcome to the Puffs”, where we meet Wayne’s future friends and the other key characters: the intelligent Oliver Rivers, portrayed by Joe Landolfi, and mutinous Megan Jones, played by Richa Deepak. In this scene, we also meet the rest of the quirky Puff students, who each introduce themselves before the rest of the group gives them a high-pitched “Hi!” in perfect unison.
As the story unfolds, we follow Wayne and his friends through their seven years at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Throughout their time at the school, he and his fellow Puffs struggle to find their places in the wizarding world. Feeling like side characters in the stories of students from the other houses, especially Harry Potter himself, the Puffs faced many trials and tribulations in order to discover who they truly were. However, the humor was non-stop along the way, with plenty of witty jokes and moments that sparked laughter in the audience. The actors skillfully portrayed their characters, making it clear that while they were all Puffs, they each had certain qualities that made them unique.
Some of the more memorable scenes in the show were those between Wayne and Cedric, portrayed by Adelaide Bertrand. Cedric was someone that all of the Puffs looked up to, believing that he could be the one to finally make them more than just the 4th-place team. Their scenes together were both heartfelt and comedic, adding depth to the story. Cedric taught the Puffs that despite being disregarded, they could still make a difference.
During their fourth year at school, Cedric tragically dies during the third task of the Wizarding Tournament. This is a colossal loss for the Puffs. Not only did their true friend and role model pass away, but their seemingly only hope to finally come out of the background had suddenly vanished. While most of the other Puffs were able to find ways to cope and move forward, Wayne couldn’t stop thinking about Cedric’s death and what it meant for the Puffs’ place in the world; that they truly weren’t special. He spent his whole fifth year ignoring his friends and tearing his fellow Puffs down for holding onto any belief that their lives could be more than just simply being a backdrop. However, at the end of their fifth year, Wayne was able to reconcile with Oliver and Megan, reigniting his belief that they could make something of themselves.
As the play reached its climax, during the Battle with the Dark Lord, the Puffs were able to prove that they didn’t need to be part of the “famous” houses to prove their worth. They displayed true bravery and loyalty by staying to fight the Death Buddies, helping protect their school and their friends. This act of bravery helped them to build their own legacy, defining what it truly means to be a Puff.
Overall, thanks to the incredible talent, teamwork, and dedication of everyone involved, Puffs was surely a success. The performance not only entertained the crowd, but also embraced friendship and perseverance, inspiring those watching to never give up on finding their own place in the world. Whether you are Potterhead or just a regular muggle, Puffs is definitely worth the watch, and reminds us that sometimes the true heroes are not who you would expect them to be.
