BWW Reviews: You're in This A DOG'S HOUSE - and That's a Treat!
By: Gil Kaan Mar. 30, 2015
A Dog's House/by Micah Schraft/directed by Trip Cullman/Elephant Theatre/thru April 26, 2015
Playwright Micah Schraft's world premiere of A Dog's House receives an absolutely stunning mounting by the iama theatre company with a first-rate, kick-ass cast. Schraft's witty, intelligent, entertainingly thought-provoking script flows fluidly out of the talented mouths of Christine Woods, Graham Sibley, Katie Lowes, and Dean Chekvala. Trip Cullman sharply directs this comedy/drama eliciting lightning speed delivery of some hilarious comic lines alternating with some fine, heart-breaking dramatic moments.
A Dog's House begins quite seriously with Michael's (Sibley) revelation to his girlfriend Eden (Woods) that their Rottweiler Jock has just fatally mauled their neighbor's toy poodle Phoenix. Arguing on whether to, or how to, inform their neighbors of their dog's demise, Phoenix' owner Nicole (Lowes) comes knocking on their door. In a very comic scene, especially considering the previous occurrence, Nicole asks the couple to help post flyers on her missing Phoenix. Lowes handles the cheerful/crying, "I'm fine"/breaking down Jekyll and Hyde mood changes very effectively.
Fast forward three days, Michael and Eden invite Nicole and her husband Bill (Chekvala) over for cocktails. A wonderfully volatile Bill clashes most hysterically with Nicole totally embarrassing themselves and their hosts. The well-timed pregnant pauses flawlessly executed by all. Much of Nicole and Bill's relationship reveal themselves unintentionally in this friendly get-together.
While the guys go off, Nicole and Eden get comfy on the couch, feeling no pain on valium and wine. Lowes (Scandal's Quinn) and Woods carry out the best drunk scene in LA theatre EVER! Both totally charmingly real, sincerely cute, and realistically drunk (and high) new besties! Plus the danger of Eden possibly letting slip out that Jock had killed Phoenix just added to the "no, she's not going to go there" suspense.
Later, Eden and an insomniac Michael have a chat in the wee small hours which suddenly morphs into an explosive confrontation. Woods and Sibley match each other blow for blow up till the final bull-eye. Nice!
Bill, still in the dark about Jock's part in Phoenix' disappearance, offers to give the aggressive dog the obedience training Jock (more than Bill realizes) needs. Chekvala nails Bill's passion for his Phoenix and his devoted doggedness for his oft-times troubled relationship with Nicole.
Sibley's completely convincing as a lover of dogs, especially his Jock. Maybe over-the-top to non-dog people, but very believably normal for fellow dog persons. His pivotal scene with Jock (never seen and brilliantly staged, by the way) brought many sniffles and stifled sobbing from dog lovers in the audience. (myself included). Wow!!! Just wow! Bravo Graham Sibley! And on a side note, casting directors: Sibley would make an ideal Alan Alda (resemblance and acting skills), should you have a MASH remake in mind!
(BTW, check the iama website for Lowes' performance dates as she alternates her role of Nicole with Amy Rosoff.)
Kudos to set designer Rachel Myers' use of cyclorama wasteland panels surrounding the sometimes tidy, lived-in living room of Michael and Eden. Set changes smoothly rearranged the furniture for different perspectives of the same living room.
And the ending! Powerfully. Unexpectedly. Perfect!
Good dog! Such a good dog!
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