It might be very interesting to read How We Are Hungry by Dave Eggers. That is the source material for this very strange, mixed breed of a fifty five minute show called Be the Dog. Adapted by Emily Kaye Liberis and written as s senior thesis project at Boston University that is exactly how this show comes across: somewhat intellectual, somewhat pretentious, somewhat interesting – using mime, movement, and music with a cast of four who are called upon to represent the free wheeling, frisky, lovable, happy, running and jumping dog who comments on the lives of the humans they also portray and the nasty squirrels that they have to put up with. Squirrels come off best.
The cast is excellent. They give their all in suggesting that a dog’s life is just one race and leap after another and that they love it. As their human counterparts we have a guy in a wheel chair (David Rosenblatt) who has attempted suicide, yet again, discussing his problems and life with his visiting cousin (Jared Craig) who has met a woman (Jessica Grant) who tried to pick him up along the way. We have a couple on vacation in Costa Rica. He’s a corporate worker there (Craig). They have been friends for a long time and now she (Rebecca Newman) wants to sleep with him. And another couple (Rosenblatt & Grant) deciding whether or not to have sex, frolicking on the floor of the terrific set by Kenneth Grady Barker.
All these very serious adult situations sandwiched between the happy dog vs. the annoying squirrels. Very nicely accomplished by director Jason McDowell-Green with a minimum of props. Very Story Theatre. Aided expertly by his accomplished, supple cast.
Death, suicide, sex, dogs and squirrels – a very mixed breed indeed.
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