“While Dog Man: The Musical might not have you rolling in the aisles or howling at the moon, it still has enough bark to keep young audiences entertained. Not the best in show, but a fun Tale of Two Kitties.”
Fiona Hallenan-Barker
3 bones out of 5 🦴 🦴 🦴
Venue : Sydney Opera House
Sydney
Dates: Until April 27th
Dog Man: The Musical is a little ruff around the edges, but it still manages to fetch laughs.
In a city riddled with crime, a heroic police officer and his loyal dog make the ultimate sacrifice while trying to save the day. But in a bold (and hilariously absurd) move, surgeons manage to save the officer’s body and the dog’s head, unleashing the crime-fighting canine-human hybrid: Dog Man.
From its humble beginnings as a classroom doodle by a creative kid with ADHD, Dav Pilkey’s Dog Man has grown into a howling success. What started in Year 2 has since spawned 13 books, a feature film, and now this tail-wagging musical adaptation. Fans will recognize all the usual suspects: Petey the Cat, his wholesome young clone Li’l Petey, the villainous Flippy the fish, and a robot sidekick named 80-HD.
Despite the show’s high energy and polished performances by Jack Dawson, Mackenzie Garcia, Nat Jobe, Liam Kirkpatrick, Nava Revalk and Josh Whitten, there were missed opportunities to truly engage its young audience. The cast’s strong vocals are impressive but so tightly rehearsed that there’s little room for the kind of audience interaction that could have brought the show the warmth and quirky heart of the graphic novels. A little fourth-wall breaking during flip-o-ramas or George and Harold scenes could’ve brought the audience in for some tail-wagging fun.
Visually, the scenic design nails it. Tim Mackabee’s set is bold and bright, cleverly mimicking the comic’s visual style. The transformation of Flippy via puppetry and a bike helmet was an effective piece of stagecraft. Heidi Hanson’s costumes have a lovable, homespun 90s vibe, think bedazzled chaos. But some outfits felt a little ruff, requiring cast members to keep adjusting their pants mid-performance.
The show is tightly synced to a click track, which keeps the pacing snappy, but limits the choreography and spontaneity. Dav Pilkey’s pre-recorded intro sounded like it came from a very echoey bathroom, which may not be ideal, but feels weirdly on-brand for the Captain Underpants creator.
Although it’s recommended for ages 8 and up, Dog Man: The Musical feels best suited to a younger primary school crowd. My nine-year-old companion enjoyed the robot dance party but was disappointed that Dog Man didn’t actually have a dog head, an iconic part of the story, and a staple of many a Book Week costume.
Ultimately, the Dog Man name alone will draw in packs of young fans. While Dog Man: The Musical might not have you rolling in the aisles or howling at the moon, it still has enough bark to keep young audiences entertained. Not the best in show, but a fun Tale of Two Kitties.
Fiona Hallenan-Barker, Theatre Now
