Live and in person at the CAA Theatre, David and Hannah Mirvish present the Crow’s Theatre and Segal Centre for the Performing Arts Production, Toronto, Ont. Playing until February 16, 2025.
Adapted and directed by Marie Farsi
Based on the novel by André Alexis
Set, props and costumes by Julie Fox
Lighting by Imogen Wilson
Composer and sound by David Mesiha
Cast: Dan Chameroy
Laura Condlln
Stephen Jackman-Torkoff
Tom Rooney
Tyrone Savage
Mirabella Sundar Singh
Adaptor-director Marie Farsi and her gifted cast, have re-created their classy, nuanced, compelling production of this award-winning novel that first played at Crow’s Theatre in 2023.
NOTE: The production first played at Crow’s Theatre in the round in 2023. This production has one cast change and a different configuration of the playing space. The production is rich in nuance and philosophy on happiness.
The Story and Production. Two Greek gods, Apollo (Tyrone Savage) and Hermes (Mirabella Sundar Singh) go into a bar (The Wheat Sheaf Tavern in Toronto)….and while they are drinking their beer, they make a wager. One wagers the other…what would happen if dogs were given human traits, would they die happy? The winner of the wager gives the other two years of servitude.
Hermes and Apollo go to a vet’s office in downtown Toronto and open the cages and let about 15 dogs free. The dogs are given a conscience, language and the ability to reason. Three dogs don’t want to leave so they remain in their cages. That decision also has consequences. The rest of the pack of dogs go to High Park.
From that point on the dogs reason, wrangle and maneuver so that eventually one dog leads and the rest follow. In this case the dog named Atticus (a confident, almost imperious Tyrone Savage) becomes the leader.
He’s described in the programme this way: “Atticus: an imposing Neapolitan Mastiff with cascading jowls.” In fact, it’s interesting to note how the dogs are described: Benjy (Dan Chameroy), a resourceful and conniving Beagle. Lydia (Dan Chameroy): a Whippet and Weimaraner cross, tormented and nervous. Prince (Stephen Jackman-Torkoff): A mutt who composes poetry. Max (Laura Condlln): a mutt who detests poetry. And Majnoun (Tom Rooney): a black Poodle, briefly referred to as Lord Jim. While he’s not described this way in the programme, Majnoun also does not trust other dogs.
The dogs are described with their likes, dislikes and other esoteric attitudes, just like humans. The dogs have their own language of which they are very protective. Jealousies are formed and signs of aggression appear. There are also questions of individuality and personal freedom.
In director Marie Farsi’s elegant, exuberant production, the cast wear conventional clothes to convey the kind of dog they are but no fur.
For Atticus and his imposing jowls Tyrone Savage, who plays him, wears pants, a loose t-shirt and a big, grey cowl around his neck, voilà, the jowls. Bravo to designer Julie Fox for this impish, clever solution in conveying what Atticus should look like. Indeed Julie Fox is masterful in her costuming so we see what all the dogs should ‘look’ like. Tyrone Savage’s Atticus sparingly gives a flick of his head, as a dog might do, just to make us always aware that we are watching dogs, but with human traits.
Majnoun played by Tom Rooney, is thoughtful, proud, intellectual and smart. Tom Rooney wears black pants, a black t-shirt, a black leather jacket and his arms hang down in front of him with his hands forming gentle fists to suggest paws. Tom Rooney’s poise conveys Majnoun’s stature, confidence and a watchfulness. Majnoun also learns English and how to speak it.
Tom Rooney is giving a wonderful, performance. It’s nuanced, has these little moments of quiet listening, but like a dog, not a human. He transforms; standing a bit forward, arms hanging down with slightly clenched fists suggesting paws. Wonderful.
Two of his owners are a literary couple, Nira (a caring, sensitive Laura Condlln) and Miguel (an accommodating Stephen Jackman-Torkoff) who find him and take him in. He so likes Nira that he indicates his secret to her—he can speak English. Laura Condlln as Nira is at first incredulous, but then accommodating at this wonder, and enters into that world of belief and trust. Nira and Majnoun have esoteric conversations about philosophy, life, relationships etc. He is protective of her. He doesn’t like Miguel.
One day the couple go away for a short weekend. But something seems to have happened and they don’t come back. Majnoun waits there patiently, determinedly, like a dog would do. He has this unconditional love for the humans—I think that is a dog thing. Or perhaps it’s reciprocal.
The dogs have jealousies, which is human and there is aggression and death, which could be a human trait or a canine trait. I won’t split fur trying to decide. There are several deaths in the play—there would have to be for the wager to proceed. Some are moving.
André Alexis has written a dense, complex book about a provocative situation—how will dogs deal with having human traits—will that make them happy or unhappy, if they have the learning and dealing with the human traits to allow them to go one way or another. In his book there are existential ideas to consider. Marie Farsi has adapted the book into this play with efficiency and thought.
Her production is as inventive and clever as it was when it played at Crow’s theatre. But this is not a comparison of the two productions. That serves no purpose. This production at the CAA Theatre is done on a proscenium stage and if anything seems more energetic in this configuration. Marie Farsi she uses the space well—there are rocks, a fire hydrant and electric poles—again, kudos to Julie Fox for her design.
The cast is terrific and committed. There are hints of the movement and activity of dogs in the actors’ performances. There are flips of the head, or a woof here or a bark and a kind of prancing walk like a dog, but not overtly, just the hint of that to keep us aware. Stephen Jackman-Torkoff is exuberantly flamboyant as Zeus (the god), Prince (the dog who loves poetry) and any dog he plays, with Miguel (a person) being a bit subdued. The joy of Stephen Jackman-Torkoff as Prince and his love of language and poetry, is a thing of beauty. Dan Chameroy as Benjy might be playing a conniving Beagle, but he has disarming charm. And there is a visual joke when the strapping Dan Chameroy as Benjy (I assume a small Beagle) stands behind the diminutive Mirabella Sundar Singh who plays various large dogs—a Labradoodle, Labrador Retriever and a Schnauzer.
Marie Farsi is a smart director. She stages the action with graceful fluidity and frisky energy. Marie Farsi is also a sensitive adapter of André Alexis’ novel of “Fifteen Dogs.” She has a keen eye for the detail in the characters, their philosophies of life and the story. Just like humans, the dogs at various times, and certainly Majnoun, muse and philosophies on the vagaries of life, ideas, language and living. However, the production seemed a bit long at 2 hours and 20 minutes.
Still, Fifteen Dogs as a theatrical production is a worthy time in the theatre. And one will ponder the ideas of life and living, expressed by these many and various individual dogs, long after the play is over.
David and Hannah Mirvish present the Crow’s Theatre and Segal Centre for the Performing Arts Production:
Plays until Feb. 16, 2025.
Running time: 2 hours, 20 minutes (1 intermission)