Last Updated on October 17, 2026
Well meaning canine comedy goes astray
1.0 out of 5.0 starsDog Mom which comes to London after runs in U.S. plugs in to the contemporary trend for dog ‘humanisation’, emotional rescue and where ‘fur babies’ become an alternative to the human version. So no surprise in seeing human actors playing dogs in this comedy from writer Tate Hanyok. Sarita (Vinita Belani) is a late middle aged woman, recently divorced and lonely. Latched onto by a stray dog in the park, said dog somehow ends up in her cramped New York apartment.
Despite protestations that she is not a dog person she ends up fostering the dog. Patty Gallagher plays the dog (Foster) with some gusto and is able to talk. Initially Sarita (Vinita Belni) can’t understand but as her emotional iceberg begins to thaw she suddenly does and the two enter into fairly normal dialogue and a loving relationship.
The logic of all this seems a bit impenetrable – Foster talks and know some words and concepts but not others, why? The neighbour also has a dog she is close to but she can’t understand her dog nor can Sarita. The two dogs speak fine together. There isn’t much else to say about the plot as it mainly consists of a number of vignettes: dog walks, ‘Sniffaris’, encounters with various mainly gay men in the park and a visit to the vet. No spoiler alert required as you have probably guessed the outcome.
When the dogs get excited they shout and this is tiresome especially in the appropriately named ‘The Little’ theatre within Southwark Playhouse. The comedy is mainly visual and there are some good fight scenes. Who knew a plastic ball thrower could be such an effective weapon when used with force against a mans testicles?
There is the expected humour of seeing humans pretending to be dogs, sniffing everyone’s bottom and such like. The lighting was very bright and with a lot of clown like physicality and stilted dialogue it felt a bit like being a bystander watching performers at a children’s party. The play never really probes deeply into the issues around our current rather obsessive relation with dogs and repeats the cliches about how their so called unconditional love can help people like Sarita. The dogs are all nice – really?
Joanna Holden tries her best with a full nasal New York accent to bring energy as Sarita’s neighbour but the stand out performance is the versatile Jarreau Antoine who plays a range of small parts, including a very posey cat. Sarita is intended to be slightly depressed, non social and constrained but unfortunately her portrayal never tales off and is a bit flat and wooden. This is Hanyok’s first produced play – though she is a successful writer for television- and although containing a great premise for a stage play, Dog Mom feels like it needs more development. However, if visual humour and dog impressions are your thing follow the scent/link below.
The Little
Southwark Playhouse Borough
77-85 Newington Causeway
London SE1 6BD
17th October – 7th November
Tickets from £22
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