Review: World Premiere BAD DOG Feels Old, Lacks New Tricks at Orlando Shakespeare

There is a tradition in the American theatre popularized by some of our country's greatest playwrights; Eugene O'Neill, Tennessee Williams, Edward Albee and others. Though generally a product of the mid-20th Century, the trend was reignited in 2007 by Tracy Letts' riveting Tony and Pulitzer-winning play AUGUST: OSAGE COUNTY. Since, innumerable new works have put a different spin on the dysfunctional family torn asunder by the ramifications of alcohol and drug addiction; and frankly, it's time for that trend to stop.

The world premiere of BAD DOG, directed by Mark Routhier and running through May 3rd at Orlando Shakespeare is another play, not without considerable merit, that is barking up the familiar tree of this now weary trope. The first full-length play from film and television writer Jennifer Hoppe-House, who has written for some of the best shows on TV (FX's drama DAMAGES, Showtime's black-comedy NURSE JACKIE), brings little new to this story. While the plot presents a handful of elements that are intriguing at first blush, their heavy-handed treatment and the play's cast of overwrought characters made what should have been emotionally impactful, hackneyed instead. It is clear that Hoppe-House has the bones of a unique, perhaps even revelatory, story in BAD DOG, but her reliance on a formula that so many others have already thoroughly examined robs the play of the effectiveness that it could have had.

In BAD DOG, after an alcohol-fueled accident, Molly (played by the always spectacular Ginger Lee McDermott) comes home from the hospital to find her well-meaning, but judgmental, family and a car-shaped hole in her wall. Her family is planning an intervention to force Molly to get the help that they believe she desperately needs. While her sisters and parents have seen Molly go down this destructive path before, her wife Abby (the refreshing Jennifer Bonner) has only known her for the sober and (fairly) stable past decade. As more family arrives at Molly and Abby's Sherman Oaks' home, more secrets are unveiled; from drug-use and infidelity to mommy-issues and dead pets, there seems to be no imaginable burden that this family hasn't experienced.

The breadth of these heartaches could have provided a wealth of deeply conflicted, nuanced people, but unfortunately they feel more like flat characters playing in a three-dimensional world. Instead of intense interpersonal drama, BAD DOG often resorts to glib retorts from increasingly unsympathetic characters.

In the few moments when they are in danger of achieving a sincere, human moment, it was nearly always ruined by an ill-timed, cheap attempt at subversive humor. While there is much to be said for damaged people using biting insults as a coping mechanism, for a drama to maintain its forward momentum, a little of that can go a long way.

While I am by no means easily offended, when the vast majority of a show's jokes revolve around characters simply shouting the F-word or racist remarks, as they do in BAD DOG, after a while, it does cease to be funny and actually becomes offensive. The show did provide a handful of occasional laughs, but many more were undermined by disappointingly ubiquitous overacting.

McDermott's immense talent makes Molly more flesh and blood than the rest of her family, and Bonner's understandably exacerbated reaction to all of the crazy going on around her was a breath of fresh air. Suzanne O'Donnell plays Molly's sister Linda, a journalist whose sibling rivalry has only gotten more intense over the years. Anne Hering plays their more suburban sister Becky. Elizabeth T. Murff is their mother Lois, who, though loving, lover failed to spare the rod. William Metzo is their father Walter, who has been married to his racist former mistress Sondra (Gladys Rodriguez) for 30 years. As three different characters, Mark Ferrera provides a comic turn that is much appreciated, but seems to be out of a completely play.

BAD DOG's characters are so broadly drawn, by both actor and playwright, that it becomes distracting. For example, I don't know any two people, even writers, who would use the word "odious" unironically in conversation.

Ultimately, I appreciated that this new play gave voice to a collection of strong female characters, and presented lesbians as just another part of their dysfunctional family, not as the cause of the dysfunction; but beyond these strengths, BAD DOG is weighed down by countless clichés, including dark secrets, "Chekov's gun," and characters needing to be intoxicated to "tell their truth."

One of the things that I admire most about Orlando Shakes is its commitment to producing new works, whether it is through Playfest!, their affiliation with Orlando Fringe, or via fully-staged world premieres; especially works by female playwrights, like Hoppe-House, a group of artists that doesn't get nearly as many opportunities as they deserve. So, while this play did very little for me, that is just one of the risks, and ultimately tremendous benefits, of investing in new works and artists. I hope that soon, the new plays that we see coming out of theatre companies like Orlando Shakespeare will find new ways to address the familial dysfunction that is at the center of so many great dramas, without becoming beholden to the formula of great works that have come before.

One aspect of the show that deserves recognition is Bob Phillips' gorgeous scenic design. His set had me wanting to move into Molly and Abby's house, hole in the wall and all.

To support Orlando Shakespeare's efforts to provide high quality productions of new works, get your tickets by visiting their website, or by calling 407-447-1700. BAD DOGS runs at Orlando Shakes through May 3rd.

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Did you get more from this world premiere than I did? Did I miss some of its redeeming qualities? Let me know what you thought of BAD DOG in the comments below, or by "Liking" and following BWW Orlando on Facebook and Twitter using the buttons below. You can also chat with me about the show on Twitter @BWWMatt.

Photo Credit:
1) Ginger Lee McDermott: Tony Firriolo | Orlando Shakespeare
2) Elizabeth T. Murff and Ginger Lee McDermott: Tony Firriolo | Orlando Shakespeare
3) Elizabeth T. Murff, Ginger Lee McDermott, and Jennifer Bonner: Tony Firriolo | Orlando Shakespeare

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