DOGS ON THE METRO

Live Theatre

★★★★★

“a clever, meaningful, and essential piece of theatre”

‘Dogs on the Metro’ at the Live Theatre is a precise and important reflection on adolescence, friendship, and consent. Masterfully written by Emilie Robson and directed by Maria Crocker, this personal two-hander is a force to be reckoned with, over it’s quick-paced and concise 60-minute course.

The show follows the fluctuating friendship of Jen (Sarah Balfour) and Dean (Dean Logan) and explores how boundaries can be pushed and taken to their limits as the two grow up together. Robson has created deeply fascinating and complex characters whose world and views the audience become quickly invested with. She creates a very tactile world with her language where “skin is made of needles” and the “room is made of balloons” and leaves the audience gasping for air from beginning to end.

The ambiguity of Jen and Dean’s relationship and their conflict hits every note, and pack punches as Balfour and Logan deliver every heart-wrenching moment with deep sincerity. Balfour’s confusion, frustration, and inner conflict feels wholly genuine, as does Logan’s characterisation of insecurity and immaturity. Both have a chilling chemistry and power to command the audience’s entire attention to their self-doubt and discomfort, conjuring goosebumps with the drop of hat.

One of the shining features of the piece is its deft connection to its place and time. ‘Dogs on the Metro’ is set mostly between metro carriages and house parties in Newcastle and utilises its clarity and ambiguity of destination to its fullest. Robson remarkably and gorgeously integrates Geordie dialect and place into a piece which reflects broader culture around platonic intimacy, gender, and boundaries. The characters and their familiarity with one another and their journey to and from home, school, and friend’s houses works so well amongst the murkiness of the story Jen urgently tries to take ownership of. As the non-linear story fractures and unfolds, the unreliability of the narration becomes more and more intriguing, and paints an impactful and deep-cutting message surrounding consent. The audience is led to trust and distrust as the plot thickens, and Crocker’s beautiful direction of the non-chronological structure does well to keep pace with the uncertainty and double meaning which the script dances with. For example, when Jen and Dean open the story, crossing over each other, it feels instantly playful and youthful; as the story develops, this technique takes on a fascinating new meaning around manipulation of narratives and truth.

It is hard to understate how complete ‘Dogs on the Metro’ feels. The script and the actors constantly flit around images, anecdotes, and ideas; none of which are wasted. ‘Dogs on the Metro’ feels wholly thought-through and tight. This goes for all aspects of design, too. From Amy Watts’ metro carriage set design which is creatively shifted between scenes to cage the characters into a claustrophobic atmosphere, to Drummond Orr’s sharp and engaging lighting design which emulates the flash a metro hurtling through a tunnel as well as an awkward early 2010s house party. Matthew Tuckey’s sound design is particularly entrancing and works electrically with the script to enhance sinister and tense moments. The crash of the metro carriage crescendoing with Balfour’s anger and upset, is an especially tactful way of exploring the ambiguity, anxiety, and self-doubt Jen experiences. All of these elements working together so firmly is utterly breath-taking.

‘Dogs on the Metro’ is a clever, meaningful, and essential piece of theatre, exploring consent and adolescence with beautiful clarity and intention.

DOGS ON THE METRO

Live Theatre

Reviewed on 6th May 2025

by Molly Knox

Photography by Von Fox Promotions

Previously reviewed at this venue:

PRESENT | ★★★★ | December 2024

GWYNETH GOES SKIING | ★★★★ | November 2024

ST MAUD | ★★★ | October 2024

DOGS ON THE METRO

★★★★

“Abundant with beauty, community, and feeling”

‘Present’ at the Live Theatre is a moving festive production exploring estrangement, alcoholism and homelessness. The story follows Dave, a man struggling with addiction and homelessness amongst the backdrop of the days leading up to Christmas. He is a grandad to Albert; a boy Dave is desperate to be a good ‘Grandfather Christmas’ for this year.

Presenting this touching story, Alphabetti in association with Live Theatre and Crisis Skylight, capture both a solemn desperation and tenderness as the piece untangles the knots of Dave’s life. As the audience are brought into the idiosyncrasies, internal battles, and difficulties in this character’s life, the piece does well to tug on heartstrings with nuance and care, as well as stir comfort and warmth in the humour of Malcolm Shields’ talent of physical comedy. One highlight of the piece is Sheilds’ energetic car-washing, as well as his great ability to carry momentum through as an individual actor. As Dave encounters other characters as he struggles to fulfil his mission of buying a Christmas present for his grandson, Shields’ interactions feel genuine and fluid. Ali Pritchard and Tamsin Rees’ direction and dramaturgy bring to life a difficult story and shed light on Dave’s inner monologue in a measured and thoughtful way.

Ceitidh Mac’s live music is another strength of ‘Present’. Throughout the piece, we are treated to careful and stirring cello and vocal renditions of pop songs, alongside atmospheric Christmas carol turned ballads. Mac’s use of loop pedal with strings and voice burst with precision and tenderness and match the tone of Ali Pritchard’s poignant yet charmingly tongue-in-cheek direction and writing. Mac and Shields’ warmth also earn a well-timed sing-along that even the grinchiest in the room can’t turn down.

Admittedly, there are places where dialogue feels slightly circular and pacing could be sped slightly. Where Sheilds writes physically on props or wrap, it could be more engaging for some prop and set pieces to be more “here’s-one-I-made-earlier” than created in real time. Mac’s musical underscoring does work to build the atmosphere in these moments; however, it is a shame that some dramatic tension is lost in lingering scene transitions.

Molly Barrett’s design and Drummond Orr’s lighting design are simply magical, creating a sense of precise time of year and winter weather so wonderfully; the audience can almost imagine their breath steam in front of them. As projections of passers-by spectrally shimmer over Shields, his isolation is captured stunningly. Similarly, the separation of Mac on a higher platform above the street, contrasting with Shields performing in an empty space accompanied by a bin, a bench, and a bottle (with a dusting of fake snow) creates a further isolation for Dave as he dredges through past and present trauma.

A funny, festive and introspective production, ‘Present’ is a palate cleanser of a piece this December. Abundant with beauty, community, and feeling, ‘Present’ is an evocative, accessible and urgent piece to catch this December.

Tag Archives: Live Theatre

DOGS ON THE METRO

★★★★★

Live Theatre

DOGS ON THE METRO

Live Theatre

★★★★★

“a clever, meaningful, and essential piece of theatre”