Whimsy and the bizarre with a hint of social consciousness is what one can expect at an Edge of the Universe Players 2 production. This is absolutely true is “My Barking Dog” Eric Coble, directed by Michael Chamberlin. The story follows two lonely individuals who happen to live in the same apartment building as they both encounter a coyote in the city. The animal appears over the course of several nights forcing Toby and Melinda to face something bigger inside of them.
This is truly a unique production and a timely example of all of the theatre that we have here in the DC area.
The two characters in the play are brought to life by Tia Shearer and Christopher Walker. Both of these actors have electrifying and boundless energy that draws the audience in and drags them along on the journey. The sense of urgency and their timing was spectacular and the way they could connect with the audience truly kept them engaged.
The set design by Giorgos Tsappas brings the audience truly in the middle of the story. Doing theatre in the round provides a unique challenge for designers and actors to balance the space and keep the action visible. This was easily done with the open space. Using mulch on the floor that almost resembled a rug at the beginning was a fascinatingly earthy element to the set that was able to move and change throughout the story.
The intuitive sound design by Tosin Olufolabi created an atmosphere of both eery and industrial. With the focus on the natural world having a sound design that felt so distant was a beautiful contrast and made the journey all the more intense. The sound design gave life to the character of the coyote and allowed the audience to see him.
This is truly a unique production and a timely example of all of the theatre that we have here in the DC area. We love the engaging, the aesthetically pleasing, and the cerebral.
Run time: 95 minutes.
Recommended for ages 16 and up.
“My Barking Dog” produced by Edge of the Universe Players 2 at Caos on F runs through. For tickets and more information click here.
