Space Dogs

The Other Palace

Barking mad and triumphant. 'Space Dogs' is a new musical that brings to the fore a difficult true story, throws in some catchy tunes and energy and gives a name to all the dogs involved in the space race. It's delightful.'

As a lover of talking dog films, this scratched my itch. Who knew talking dog theatre could be a thing? This is actually barking mad and brilliant at the same time; it's nothing you've ever seen before. 'Space Dogs' is a short and sweet new musical that tells the story of the first dog in space, 'Laika', whilst yes it is a sad story, the show gives Laika a voice and champions her and the other 40 dogs that were taken from the streets with the intention of using them as living test subjects of inventions that would help Russia win the race to space. The whole idea of this is heartbreaking; it highlights the innocence of dogs, their eternal love for humans and how the Russians took advantage of their obedience. This two-man show will make you laugh and cry at the same time, whilst paying a perfect tribute to all the dogs involved. It's a woof-tastic masterpiece.

Van Hughes and Nick Blaemire are the writers and performers in the show; their love for what they have created and the energy they put into the performance is refreshing. The wacky characters they have created keep the dark and sad story easy to digest and light. They jump from character to character, interact with the audience, play instruments and puppeteer dog cuddly toys. They are quite the impressive two-man band. There is not a moment when the energy drops, and they create such a wonderful relationship with the audience through their characters. Moments when they break the fourth wall are really helpful, as they keep you up to speed, but it also gives you a moment to take in the gravity of the information they are feeding you. The energy they put into the songs feels like a whole cast, when it is just the two of them and some dog cuddly toys.

With the show being just over an hour long, it means that moments aren't prolonged or disengaging. As it is a two-man show, it is the perfect timing to fit the story into, without the audience missing any of the important moments that will make you leave with a thought in your head and wanting to do more to show your care for animals. This show has such a mass of potential, and I will ensure to follow along on a tight lead, because the story is moving, the content is well written, and it's just a unique piece of theatre. If you are intrigued by this show, I urge you to go, because it is out of this world and you will leave having learnt something. Who knew you could have so much feeling towards a cuddly toy dog?