Review: Space Dogs (The Other Palace Studio)

Review by Ruth Sealey

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

People love dogs, so the thought of sending a dog on a one-way journey into space seems likely to tug at the heartstrings of any theatre-goer (and certainly this reviewer). We are also fascinated by space, what lies in the distant universe and the race to be the first, the furthest and the fastest in our quest to explore the unknown. In fact, you would only need to look as far back as February this year to see Artemis II complete a lunar fly-by and take humans farther from Earth than ever before. Space Dogs, playing at The Other Palace Studio, asks what happens when these ideas are combined and the relationship between man and dog collides with the desire for exploration. Would an attempt to tell this story allow this musical to achieve lift-off or leave the audience firmly on the ground?

Written and performed by Nick Blaemire and Van Hughes, Space Dogs premiered Off-Broadway in 2022, with a cast album also recorded. It follows the true story of forty stray dogs recruited into the Soviet space programme, centring on Laika, a stray from Moscow who was ultimately selected to be sent into orbit. This post-war era saw both the USA and USSR recognising the world-ending implications of nuclear weapons and therefore fuelled their need to seek new ways of demonstrating power and superiority. Secured within the confines of Sputnik 2 on 3^rd November 1957, Laika was the first living creature to orbit Earth. She was never expected to survive her journey into space and died within hours of taking off. 

Part musical, part historical documentary, part comedy and part rock concert, the writing weaves together a compelling account of the Cold War space race. The score is just as varied, moving from rock numbers to heartfelt ballads, constantly shifting to reflect the tone of the story. At times the songs are subtle and reflective, while elsewhere they are loud and unapologetically funny, but they never feel out of place in the storytelling. There is genuine comedy within the production, often through the excellent lyrics from both writers, making fun of both the USSR and the USA as they compete for world domination. One of my favourite lyrics, “America is number one with a W”, perfectly captures the satirical tone. The parallels with the world today cannot be dismissed as the Americans sing about being “the best” and having “our finger on the trigger.” For a story set almost seventy years ago, the subject matter never seems that far away from current news and politics.

Space Dogs has some serious points to make and has the ability to weave these themes into the fabric of the story. A recurring line of “propaganda is art” is a fairly meaty reminder to not believe everything that we see, a message that feels particularly relevant in a time of the increasing use of AI. Blaemire and Hughes also remind the audience that this version of history is simply the one they have chosen to tell, leaving room for interpretation, just as the Russians did not reveal the truth about Laika’s death for several years and the Americans shifted the goalposts of the space race to ensure that they could claim victory with the first man on the moon. The production is rooted in genuine historical detail, including references to ‘Operation Paperclip’, the unassuming name for the programme that recruited over 1,600 German scientists and engineers from Nazi Germany at the end of the war into America to help with the advancement of technology. 

The pace is frenetic at times as Blaemire and Hughes dash around the stage, playing keyboards and guitars, changing costumes and interacting with the audience and props. Excellent direction from Will Blum keeps this just enough in check, creating moments where the pace slows, lights come up, and the audience are pulled out of the story with a less-than-subtle reminder of the reality of where we are. The set is simple to look at but, through imagination and Blum’s direction, that simplicity becomes anything but. The cast and Blum utilise the props with ingenuity as a chest becomes Sputnik 2 and the stage for a dog beauty pageant, and a disco ball rises up on a pulley as Sputnik 1 orbits the Earth. Space Dogs takes the ordinary and convinces the audience it is something much bigger. 

Blaemire and Hughes are indeed a talented duo who play themselves and then a multitude of characters with high-octane dialogue and wit. The dogs themselves are simply stuffed toys, but to describe them as such would be a disservice to the subtle movements and distinct voices that Blaemire and Hughes provide. They become puppeteers, bringing the dogs to life with humour and more than a little bit of heartbreak. Laika longs to belong to a family, and her ‘Dear Diary’ moments from Blaemire are sweet as she scratches her memories into the dirt. Hughes plays Russian scientist Sergei Korolev, who holds the thread of the story as he struggles with technological progress and his attachment to Laika with warmth and a touch of sentimentality. They switch to direct address frequently, never allowing the audience to fully sit back and relax and these interactions feel entirely in keeping with the production. Their musicianship is equally as impressive, with strong vocals, a keyboard, guitars and cleverly programmed loops being utilised exceptionally well to build the atmosphere and, at times, give the production the energy of a rock concert.

Space Dogs is chaotic and extremely fast-paced, occasionally feeling like it is on the verge of taking off in every sense. However, the writing and musicianship create a theatrical collision unlike anything I have seen before, and the ability to make me feel an emotional connection to a soft toy held aloft on a litter picker as it flies through space is a testament to both the writing and direction. If you are willing to embrace the chaos, what emerges is a journey through a fascinating part of history, told with heart, humour and originality, making it a mission well worth signing up for.

Space Dogs plays at The Other Palace Studio until 9^th August. Tickets from https://theotherpalace.co.uk/space-dogs/

Photos by Alex Brenner