Your Chicago Guide’s tickets for two to the press viewing of PUFFS courtesy of Otherworld Theatre Company.
For seven years a certain boy wizard went to a certain Wizard School and conquered evil. This, however, is not his story. This is the story of the Puffs… who just happened to be there too. A tale for anyone who has never been destined to save the world.
If you grew up alongside the Boy Who Lived and other colorful characters in Books That Shall Not Be Named, run, don’t walk, to see Otherworld Theatre Company’s PUFFS: Or Seven Increasingly Eventful Years At a Certain School of Magic and Magic. For everyone eager to revisit that world (and at neck-breaking speed to boot), PUFFS is a jovial, tongue-in-cheek recitation of all things Harry, errrr, the Boy Who Lived.
Not a minute of this three-hour play passes without a laugh, audience engaged from the very entrance to the theatre. Butterbeer or Vol-de-Malort, anyone? The all too familiar magical adventure continues, as told from the point of view of three kids in yellow and black, just trying to make it through a wizard school that turns out to be very dangerous for children. Surrounding our trio of would-be-wizards are Puffs, a group of well-meaning, if slightly goofy, outsiders, happy to just come in third. If ever you cheered for the underdog. Puffs are lovable and relatable, and the play will leave you wishing they were in the books all along.
Even those blissfully unaware of all things Boy Who Lived (enter yours truly) would enjoy the witty repartee and hilarious physical comedy of PUFFS. The play is as humorous as it is heartfelt. The audience is invited to become part of Puffs, and lives the adventure alongside the heroes. Wisely not attempting special effects, the show instead focuses on the emotions of coming of age, fighting for what’s fair, and human resilience. A+ for effort and three cheers for the PUFFS. Go see it for a bit of good natured fun and some serious belly laughs.
PUFFS is EXTENDED through July 27th, 2023, at Otherworld Theatre Company, 3914 N. Clark Street, in Chicago’s Wrigleyville neighborhood.