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Reviewed by Elizabeth Lopez |
Written in 1925 by Mikhail Bulgakov, Heart of a Dog is a story about a wealthy medical doctor who’s at odds with the proletariat committee whose sole intent is to force him to share his luxury apartment. At the same time, Dr. Philip Philapovich is planning the most ambitious operation of his career-that of “improving life” by transforming a dog into a human, which he does with dreadful consequences.
| The story begins
with Sharik, wonderfully played by Joe Fria, a lowly street dog
living in the mean streets of Russia, whose misery and suffering
comes to an end the day the wealthy but unscrupulous doctor, played
by Paul Dillon, adopts him. Sharik narrates the story in some very
amusing scenes. Joe Fria is absolutely wonderful in this role, in
fact, he reminded me of Jim Carrey, with that rubber face and ever
changing voices-the yelping, growling, barking, howling-it was a
doggone good representation of man’s best friend. |
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His performance is truly delightful and entertaining in this physically demanding role. In one scene, he is taken to the operating room for “the change” and my heart wept. I loved this dog and I hated seeing what would turn to be a life altering experience for Sharik. Fria takes full control of the stage and it’s hard to take your eyes off of him. Fria’s performance is the best part of the play. I was anxiously waiting for his reappearance-I couldn’t get enough of this character. Fria steals the show, no doubt about it.
The story unfolds as a street dog is being mistreated by the outside world, but whose life completely changes when Dr. Phillip Philopavich decides to take him in. At first, everything seems wonderful: he now has a wonderful new home, his new adopted master is a very wealthy and respected within the community and overindulges him with affection and (most of all) with food. He rejoices at his presently happy existence. However, all this changes one day when his master decides to go forward on a secret experimental operation, one where Sharif’s life is put on the line-in the name of science.
We see glimpses into the lives of
the doctor, his assistants and servants as well as the annoying committee/
neighbors. It’s a snippet of what life was like during the turn of the
century in Russia. I found the other characters average and not as funny as
the dog. I’d say more than one scene seemed a bit repetitive-and a bit
slow for my taste, however the ending fully delivered.
This dark comedy has a very
interesting premise: What would happen if you changed a canine to a human
being? Is an animal incapable of knowing the difference between right and
wrong, good and evil. Is evil learned or is it in our genes? Is it ethical
for a man to play God, as did Dr. Phillipalovich? And, is it really
Sharik’s fault when he learns to enjoy life’s offerings, as humans do,
and then be chastised for it? I recommend that you watch this play to
answer these questions for yourself. Its sci-fi feel with a Jim Carrey type
lead will make you think about man’s role in creation vs. evolution.
It’s also a humorous look into the changing political world of Russia
dealing with old political ideologies vs. new and, my favorite, about
man’s obsession with playing God.
This amusing and entertaining
performance will captivate your attention and transport you to a turn of
the century Russia, where the heart of the story takes place. At three
hours long, it’s a long ride worth its weight in gold. It’s a doggone
good story with a strong acting lead by Fria as Sharik the dog.
Comments? Write to us at: Letters@ReviewPlays.com
What:
HEART OF A DOG, by
Mikhail Bulgakov, adapted by Michael Franco
Who:
Elephant StageWorks
When:
Opens October 15, plays Fridays and
Saturdays
Where:
The
How
much: $25; $15 students/seniors.
Reservations:
323-960-5563; www.plays411.com
More
information: 323-993-6109;
www.elephantstageworks.com