David Mamet’s (b. 1947) play American Buffalo portrays three small-time hustlers who devise a plan to steal an antique coin collection, hoping for a lucrative deal. However, they soon realize that their so-called business model puts their friendship to the test. As one character warns his younger accomplice: “There’s business, and there’s friendship”—two worlds that, unfortunately, don’t always coexist.
Premiering in 1975, American Buffalo won the Drama Critics’ Circle Award for Best American Play and made it to Broadway in 1977, receiving critical acclaim. Reviewers praised Mamet’s unique ability to capture the nuances and ambiguities of everyday American speech. As one critic put it: “Mamet is a playwright worth listening to. He is a rare breed—an American dramatist whose plays are driven by language.”
CAST:
- Kārlis Freimanis
- Aksels Aizkalns
- Rūdis Bīviņš or Artis Jančevskis
⚠️ Note: The play contains explicit language.
A dark comedy in two acts
- Premiere: May 7, 2022
- Duration: 2 hours 10 minutes
