Review: Dogstar (Hampstead Theatre)
Review by Angel Nield
⭐️⭐️
In its world premiere at Hampstead Theatre, Dogstar is flooded with ideas but struggles to keep them afloat. Like the titular ship, Daisy Hall’s sophomore play remains in an ominous and indecisive stasis.
It’s the mid-nineteenth century in the Arctic circle, and the crew of the Dogstar are in a spot of bother. Aboard a whaling ship trapped in the ice, the three surviving crewmates- Babben (Justin Edwards), an old hand with over 40 years experience who acts as a father figure to strait-laced teenager Sam (Abdul Jalloh) and mischief-maker Gory (Adam Rojko Vega) seem permanently on the brink of mutiny as they attempt to get home. Strange visions, first blamed on the feared Damoclean sword of scurvy that has decimated the crew, seem to offer a chance of salvation- but at what cost?
Although a fascinating concept on paper, Hall’s writing is where these ideas fall flat. Unclear whether it intends to be comical, fantastical, serious or reflective, the result is a play which has no idea where it is heading or what points it intends to make. Wobbling indecisively between a ghost story and mutiny drama, the script is neither chilling enough nor deep enough to fully commit to any particular direction.
In addition, as the characters are unable to go anywhere, neither does their conversation. The trio argue about deceased crewmates, the unseen drunken captain’s lack of action, and where their lives are going over and over for an hour, repeating the same ideas in goldfish-like circles. The only consistent plot line is a recurring vision of shipowner Michael Carmichael (his name doubles as a joke), but with no context or backstory other than his name being painted on the ship’s bow it’s very difficult to understand the significance of this man to the ailing crew. In particular, what is intended as a plot-turn at the end is far too enigmatic and falters under a lack of buildup, with scattered applause indicative of the audience puzzling over whether the show has ended or not.
Lucy Morrison’s direction feels equally lost at sea, with some clever freeze-frames as the crew are spellbound by the unexplainable sadly overshadowed by absurd and nonsensical directorial decisions. Hall’s script, which could be darkly witty and sharply funny, becomes one long shouting match interspersed with characters stomping off stage for extended periods of time. It's hard to pay attention to a play with no clear side, and the dramatic beats that are identifiable (see the aforementioned plot-turn) could be given a whole new life if Morrison is given the opportunity to breathe smoother pacing into this production.
The highlight of this production is the acting, with all three men transforming their characters into fully fleshed out individuals in their own right. Edwards' worldly Babben feels strangely familiar as the patriarch of the group, frequently breaking up brotherly squabbles between his two younger counterparts. He invites much empathy as a fatigued and ailing figure who simply wants the best for both his own family and his ship family. Rojko Vega’s Gory initially appears as an antagonistic and careless tease whose softer side slowly comes into view as he grapples with the reality of life without his deceased friend Charlie and life ashore, whilst Jalloh’s Sam is a realistic portrayal of a naive young man grasping to rules in the face of uncertainty and fear. The main redeeming feature of this production, it is their portrayals that evoke feelings of frustration, empathy, sadness and confusion in reflection to the circumstances the characters find themselves in.
Hannah Schmidt’s simple set of an off-white captain’s cabin door, old wooden decks and swinging lanterns really reflect the isolation the characters find themselves in, complimented by Holly Ellis’ atmospheric lighting and Anna Short’s realistic creaks and cracks sound design. No single element overshadows the others and, as a collective, really come into their own at the climax of the final vision- blinding and disorientating the audience alongside the surviving characters.
Overall, Dogstar has the potential to be an imaginative and thought-provoking social commentary, but sadly falls into the trap of trying to be everything and nothing at the same time. Full of individual elements that offer a bracing breath of fresh air, the overall production never quite comes together, much like the crew themselves, with enough power to survive the turbulence, ocean-bound or otherwise, that it seeks to explore.
Dogstar plays at Hampstead Theatre until 5th December- tickets available at https://www.hampsteadtheatre.com/production/dogstar/
Photos by Pamela Raith