Fifteen Dogs is a wildly entertaining, funny, thoughtful, and heartbreaking show about the nature of
instinct vs. conscious choice. Man’s best friend is the star and stars don’t always behave nicely. But it is a
lot of fun to watch. No, there are no real dogs here but a fantastic cast that makes this a rambunctious
show.
During a night out on Crescent Street, the Greek gods Hermes and Apollo argue if animals had the ability
for human thoughts and feelings, could they live happily or not. Apollo argues that they would have a
horrible time while Hermes insists otherwise. They decide to settle their disagreement with a bet using
15 dogs of various breeds and ages. They give human consciousness to the dogs to see how they would
handle this ability and if they are happy at the end of their lives. It’s a sinister proposal but it presents
some fascinating and insightful results. Some dogs learn human language and can communicate with
their masters. One dog, Prince, expresses the intricate beauty of life through poetry. Some form packs
with tragic results. The combination of dog instinct and human intellect becomes powerful and violent
with the pack dogs turning against each other.
The dogs struggle with their new awareness, emotions, personalities, trust, and ideas of power. Their
pursuits for survival lead to tenuous and loving relationships with humans, in particular for Majnoun, a
black poodle, who makes a surprising connection to Nira, a woman who understands Majnoun’s
language. Other dogs are not so lucky, finding refuge with humans who treat animals like a piece of
furniture. As Apollo and Hermes observe their “experiment”, their own father Zeus swans in with great
displeasure. He casts his own spells to guide the dogs, warning his children not to interfere anymore.
However, the Fates have other plans. In spite of all of this divine manipulation, some of the dogs have
deep and meaningful lives. It brings to question the meaning of what is happiness.
The multi-talented cast don multiple characters, performing the roles of the dogs with charm, hilarity,
delight, authority, and at times, menace. The human characters are also a complex mix of love, care, and
selfishness that the cast performs with great vitality and empathy.
The sets are excellent, with the proverbial fire hydrant for the dog in need. The lights and effects are
sharp to give a sense of the power of nature from the point of view of the dogs. The costumes are great
too, effectively marking the distinctions between the different breeds of dogs. And I want Zeus’ swirling
gold cape. The music gave a good sense of atmosphere without overpowering the action.
The pursuit of happiness can lead to conflicts, danger, and hopefully love. The importance is to
recognize the love that is already there. Love is all you need.
Photo credit: Emelia Hellman
Fifteen Dogs. Adapted and directed by Marie Farsi. Show continues until April 21, at Segal Centre, 5170
Chemin de la Côte-Ste-Catherine, Montreal. Call the box office 514-739-7944 or go to
www.segalcentre.org .
