Review: Dog Mom (Southwark Playhouse Borough)
Review by Claudia Bagley
⭐⭐⭐⭐
What can we learn from our dogs? Can we inherit their understanding, trust, kindness, and unity? Making its UK debut at Southwark Playhouse Borough, Dog Mom is an upbeat yet heartfelt play about exactly this. Newly divorced and having just moved to Brooklyn, Sarita (Vinita Belani) is by no means a dog-person, until she finds that a geriatric, scruffy dog has strayed onto her doorstep. Will her new furry friend convince her to let go of her quest for perfection or just send her barking mad?
Dog Mom, winner of the New Comedies Festival 2024, premiered at California’s B Street Theatre, before going on to tour regional US theatres in 2026 as part of a National New Play Network Rolling World Premiere. Produced by EnActe Arts, America’s largest South Asian Theatre Company, in association with Riding Lights, the play transfers to London this Autumn. Promising to have audiences howling, it takes us on Sarita’s journey as she is reluctantly won over by the dog she aptly names Foster, a golden retriever who helps her find her feet and a future at a mid-life crossroad.
Laugh-out-loud comedy is delivered from the opening scene and, whilst it takes a moment to adjust to the dog roles being played by human actors, the characters swiftly sweep you into their narrative with charm and humour. Patty Gallagher plays the role of Foster the Dog with a loyal, boundless energy and meticulous facial expressions. The physical theatre on show here is to be applauded, striking a stark contrast to Sarita’s rigid, ordered manner, with Belani portraying her frustration at doing everything ‘right’ and yet still feeling stuck - a state that many middle-aged women will relate to. We see this demeanour change as the dog gradually encourages her to step outside, look up to the sun, feel the breeze, and smell the… bacon!
Sarita soon meets her no-boundaries neighbour, Nell (Joanna Holden), who gives a dynamic performance with as much pizazz as the colourful nineties tracksuit she favours for the eventful trips to the dog park. Not only do we see Nell and Sarita find common ground, as she helps the new dog mom navigate caring for her pooch, but the audience is treated to seeing an enviably pure relationship flourish between Foster and Nell’s lovable mutt, Ruben (Tom Barnes). Externally, the dogs’ simplistic storytelling conveys both their joy for ‘the little things’ in life and voices their worries and insecurities in a childlike way, whilst the dogs’ inner voices provide comedy throughout. The cast is completed by Jarreau Antoine in numerous roles, including a dog who, at one point, launches into an excellent, Fosse-style routine complete with white gloves and splendid, pooch-like swagger.
Under Ajay Chowdhury’s direction, the small cast are cohesive as the brilliant physicality comes to a climax at the end of the first act with a clever and funny, slow-motion comedy scene which sees Sarita’s newfound circle of friends save Foster from being taken to the pound. This is set to epic music and punctuated by hilariously on-theme props, no doubt familiar to any dog-owner. The second half commences with Foster the Dog’s version of the infamous ‘All By Myself’ Bridget Jones duvet scene, a nod to playwright Tate Elizabeth Hanyok’s commitment to giving female protagonists a stage in contemporary comedy. Movement and music continue to highlight the more poignant moments as we see Sarita and her canine companion perform a ballroom-esque slow dance to ‘Moon River’, a symbolic point of connection as the play draws to a close.
The venue’s ‘The Little’ space depicts the intimate, compact home setting (design is by Sean Cavanagh) perfectly, while projections, which convey the scene changes between the apartment and the dog park, sometimes feel a little abrupt. Music has been woven into Naveen Bhatia’s sound design to serve the narrative well, yet some of the more pedestrian sound effects and lighting, for instance during the thunderstorm scene, feel rather basic but, nevertheless, do not distract from the wholesome storyline.
Set in New York City but certainly universal in its appeal, Hanyok’s script delves deep enough into the key topics to give clear context to the characters, whilst keeping the play light-hearted and entertaining. It touches on the topic of motherhood with sensitivity and compassion, managing a dignified balance with the plentiful uproarious moments, taking the audience on quite the emotional excursion.
Dog Mom demonstrates how our pet friends can take us into situations that let us form valuable bonds and communities during times of uncertainty. With the importance of being ‘strong, brave and not alone’ at the core of its message, the unlikely friends refer to themselves as a wolf pack with a signature howl to ascertain their camaraderie. As you leave, full of hope and inspiration, ‘We Could Be Heroes’ plays, capturing the dog’s relentless sense of optimism and ability to see the best in everybody. Every dog has its day and, if the audience’s warm, laughter-filled reaction is anything to go by, this play will certainly have many more bright days in its future.
Dog Mom plays at Southwark Playhouse Borough until 7th November. Tickets from https://southwarkplayhouse.co.uk/productions/dog-mom/