Yipping, Barking and Smelling

Why Dogs Don’t Talk – First Folio Theatre

It’s safe to say that all dog owners, at one time or another, have wished their pets could talk. It would be so much easier to understand their pooch’s needs and wants, their preferences for certain things and for those elements that are undesired. But in Dean Monti’s short, 17-minute story, adapted for the stage by David Rice, patrons might be warned to be careful what they wish for.

Mel is Hubert’s human owner. As he settles in one night with his favorite beverage and a good novel, Mel muses aloud to his pet that if a dog is man’s best friend, man must, in turn, be a dog’s best friend. Suddenly Hubert finds his voice and a philosophical debate ensues about the matter. It seems that, while Hubert admits to enjoying life with his human, when push comes to shove, he actually prefers the communication he shares with other canines. Hubert loves the yipping, barking, licking and the smelling that he revels in with other pups along their walks through the dog park. While the Shih Tzu they often run into evokes a certain fido fascination, Hubert really enjoys communing with the sensual Setter they regularly meet along the path. He’s not on a leash and the freedom that dog enjoys is conveyed in his doggy devotion to Hubert.

To prove that he’s truly Hubert’s best friend, Mel offers to try to become as much like a dog as humanly possible. He gets down on all fours and yips and barks and pants. Then, while the freshly-bathed Hubert climbs onto the forbidden sofa to relax, Mel heads outside to dig up the flower, frolic in the grass and roll on the body of a dead cat lying in the road. When Mel returns to the house, covered in mud, grass stains and urine, Hubert appreciates what his master has done and he, indeed, does smell better. But, Hubert concedes, Mel is after all still a human. So the story ends with the two swapping places for the night, with Mel sleeping in the dog bed while Hubert stretches out on the cushy couch. The lesson learned is that maybe it’s a good thing people aren’t able to understand what a dog is saying.

Nicely directed by Morgan Manasa, the streamed mini performance piece features the always magnetic and incredibly talented Landree Fleming as Hubert and August Forman as the ever-perplexed Mel. Both actors do a terrific job in their individual roles, with Ms. Fleming especially (pardon the pun) fetching as the coltish canine companion. The video production and editing of this piece is nicely accomplished by Mike Alongi and Christopher Kriz provides the show’s original music and sound design. While First Folio is scheduled to return in October to live, full productions, this short playlet offers a tasty appetizer to sample until theatre returns to the way we remember.     

Recommended

Reviewed by Colin Douglas

Presented July 27 through August 8 by First Folio Theatre, as a streamed online production.
Tickets are available on a pay-what-you-can basis at www.firstfolio.org.

Additional information about this and other area productions can be found by visiting www.theatreinchicago.com.