Richard Lucas (Photo courtesy of Parry-Riposte Films)
Reviewed by Asa Fris
The Broadwater Studio Theater
Running indefinitely
It’s nigh impossible to attain peace of mind when you can hear a dog barking. Especially if it’s not your dog. To cope, some may turn to noise-cancelling headphones, others to vipassana meditation practices, and a select few to convenient animal disappearances. But the protagonist of this show decides to report the incessant barking of Sophie, his neighbor Irene’s demon-Yorkshire terrier to his sheriff, who tasks him to write a dog barking log.
Richard Lucas’s one man show The Dog Log, directed by Bruno Oliver, is based on Lucas’s book of the same name. Lucas shares selected entries from his log over the span of around half a year. As time goes on, his entries metamorphose from sterile reporting into emotional confessions, and we learn of his struggles with dating, his career, and alcohol abuse.
There are two draws to The Dog Log. One is Lucas’s colorful descriptions of the many miseries of his life, which are so specific that you can’t help but chuckle at the accuracy with which he conveys these unique injustices. The second is the personal nature of his tale, and the optimism he offers on how changing perspectives and attitudes might improve one’s life.
Although his descriptions are funny, and his optimism warming, the show feels more like a staged reading of his book than a theatrical performance. As director, Oliver employs minimal projections, props, and lighting which do aid the story effectively. But his staging is limited to having Lucas pantomime what he’s already verbally describing to us which, paired with his slow, albeit comic, delivery, causes the pace to drag.
The Broadwater Studio Theater, 1078 Lillian Way, Hollywood. Sat., 7 pm. , indefinitely. Running time: approximately 65 minutes https://thebroadwater.stagey.net/projects/12876
