Harry Potter's Wizarding World Spoofed In Fairfax High's Original Production 'Puffs'

By Clay Grisius of Loudoun Valley High School

Grab your wands, don your capes, and watch out for trolls; Fairfax High School's production of "Puffs" employed incredible acting, synchronous ensemble performance, and spectacular technical aspects to tell the story of "Harry Potter" through a lens like no other!

"Puffs," written by Matt Cox, is a spoof of J.K. Rowling's "Harry Potter," following the series from the perspective of the Hufflepuff house, taking place at Hogwarts, otherwise known as "a certain school for male magic and female magic." The show follows the Puffs — a misfit group of quirky wizarding students _ and a trio of friends, Wayne, Oliver, and Megan, through their seven years (the same time span of a neurosurgery residency) of schooling. But remember, they go to school with none other than, you guessed it: Harry Potter.

Fairfax High School combined a plethora of acting and technical elements to keep energy levels high and connect the audience with the actors and actresses. Rather than plummeting or plateauing, energy levels increased between the first and second acts of the show, keeping the viewer engaged throughout the performance. One could not help but notice the intricate lights, led by Timothy Farmer and Charlotte Bronaugh. Flashing lights into the audience, lighting was designed to reflect the emotions of the stage, changing from warmer to cooler lighting throughout the show. If you have ever seen Harry Potter, things can get a little hectic at points, during these times throughout the show, performers executed "chaos" expertly. Not only were chaotic scenes executed well, but they also included depth that added to the humor and thematic development of the performance as a whole.

Keeping the show moving using witty improvised lines as the Narrator, Daniel Todd commanded the stage with outstanding quality, even humorously donning clever outfits. The trio of friends performed phenomenally and with amazing chemistry, enhancing the heartfelt messages the show conveyed to the audience. Megan, played by Madeleine Tyler, and Oliver, played by Trevor Sloan, worked especially well together. Madeleine Tyler's character development was awesome; she started off as an angsty, friendless teen living in her mother's footsteps, then gradually warmed up as the show progressed, indubitably reminding the audience of at least one person they know. Trevor Sloan played his role with spectacular quality, meshing well with Tyler. Sloan's performance captivated the audience, cleverly delivering humorous lines at proper points.

Not only did the leads excel in their performance, but the supporting cast also provided excellent comedic relief and side stories to augment the performance. The Puffs' hero, Cedric Diggory, and their sworn enemy, Voldy, were both played with tremendous skill by Logan Baker. Baker hilariously portrayed polar opposite characters with exceptional skill and prowess. His timing on jokes were perfect, allowing the audience to bask in the glory, or awkwardness, of a scene, such as giving his Death Buddy a show of affection. Even with the humor strewn throughout the show, all actors helped maintain the deep message of friendship and identity.

A conglomeration of stupendous performers and technicians, Fairfax High School's production of "Puffs" is a summation of theatrical aspects that worked together to build connections with the audience, and made the audience laugh while pondering a theme, even if there was a troll in the dungeon.