Puppy, King’s Head Theatre Review
Puppy production image. Photo by Steve Gregson
Written by Jasmine for Theatre & Tonic
Disclaimer: Gifted tickets in exchange for an honest review
This beautiful, funny, sex-positive new production at the Kings Head is a gorgeous take on all things dogging, porn, and relationships.
Naomi Westerman has written a story full of lovable characters in this rom com, which feels incredibly wholesome whilst having a good 50 percent of the scenes include group sex. Kayla Feldman’s direction undermines the idea that these sex scenes - many of which centre on a local dogging group - are inherently shocking or taboo by making these scenes less literal and more fun. There’s no nudity, just some synchronised sexy movements and delightful chit chats about life. As the characters themselves say - ‘it’s mostly social’ - you can quickly see that this is just a natural part of their friendships with each other.
Puppy’s ability to challenge the idea that sex is inherently shocking, dangerous or taboo whilst facing up to the real issues that exist in sex that isn’t practiced safely and with full enthusiastic consent, is what makes this play so brilliant. This story reminds us that we decide how our relationships look and that restricting how people enjoy sex or indeed porn is an approach often based on broad (often misogynistic and heteronormative) oversimplifications what it is and how it can work. We see a series of characters who find their own ways to enjoy their sexuality and to love each other in non-traditional relationship setups.
The story centres on the relationship between Jaz and Maya, played by Ashling O’Shea and Amy Revelle, as they navigate their relationship as well as their individual relationships with sex in a world where the government is increasingly restricting sexual freedom. The chemistry of the two leads is magnetic; they are impossible not to root for. Both their characters have much depth, and it was beautiful to watch how O’Shea and Revelle brought their histories to life through Jaz and Maya’s intimate conversations. Each of their stories feels so true to life, and the actors do brilliantly at communicating a huge amount of story without it ever feeling like exposition.
Every member of this cast is absolutely wonderful - they all feel like fully developed characters you can imagine yourself meeting out and about in the city. Ian Hallard and Tia Dunn are the perfect upper-class West London couple as Richard and Susan, providing an addition to the story which is so perfectly contrary to what people expect people out dogging to be. Both Hallard and Dunn are so likeable in their roles and bring such a caring energy to their characters that, despite being great impressions of the kind of Londoners whose son might be a Tory MP, they are often the safety net of all the characters in the show. Similarly, Maria Austin and Ed Larkin are so endearing as the younger couple of the dogging group - Sandra and Dave. Austin brings so much joy and fun to every scene she’s in, and Larkin’s comic timing is brilliant, especially in the moments of drier humour.
Something else I loved was that we only ever see these characters that represent the best of what a sex positive approach can be, never the people who try to shame or harass our characters or restrict their freedom. These people remain only voices, they are never given space on stage. It creates the sense that the stage is a safe space, where this world and these conversations can exist free of judgment or harassment. The set and visuals by Rosin Jenner, with Catja Hamilton designing the lighting, reinforce this feeling. The lighting is warm and rosy, adding to the softness of the set with its piles of huge soft cushions on stage, which occasionally have the addition of car seats (to great comic affect at times) for the car park scenes.
Puppy will be running at the Kings Head Theatre until the 27th April, so you have this whole month to go and catch it, and I highly recommend that you do! It is a perspective shifting show full of love and humour that sheds light on some of the parts of sex we are unnecessarily uncomfortable discussing, providing a story full of healthy and fulfilling unconventional relationships that we need to see more of onstage.
★★★★
