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A dog's life goes on stage

Established last year under the auspices of the Performance Workshop (表演工作坊), known primarily for its stand-up comedy series, Off Performance Workshop (外表坊實驗團) aims to produce experimental theatrical works that appeal to a relatively young audience. The group's third performance, I'm a Dog (我是一隻狗), is a tragi-comedy that is also part rock show.

The surreal story tells of a teenage boy's gradual descent into madness caused by his father's adultery and desertion of the family, and his mother's concealment of this secret. The only one keeping the boy company is his stuffed toy dog, played by a person, which tries to help the boy solve his problems but ends up creating more.

Troubled by having no father, the boy wanders the streets with his stuffed toy dog until one day he runs into an injured man lying unconscious on the street. He immediately assumes the stranger to be his long-lost father and takes the man's mobile phone. But by doing so, he draws himself unwittingly into a conflict between crime gangs and an amorous encounter with a prostitute.

The simple plot is dotted with slapstick humor and melodramatic scenes and the dialog between the boy and his dog, especially a part in which they satirize blockbuster movies like Titanic and Pearl Harbor, offer some genuinely clever comic relief.

Perhaps better than the play itself is the live band performance that provides its background music. The band Cock Bone, of which the play's director Li Jian-chang (李建常) is a menber, plays songs composed specifically for the play. A soundtrack CD will be given away free to anyone interested.

I'm a dog will be performed Sept. 13 and Sept. 14 at 7:30pm, Sept 15 at 2:30pm and 7:30pm and Sept. 16 at 2:30pm at the Experimental Theaterof the National Theater Hall. Tickets are available through ERA ticket outlets or contact the group at 2698-2323.

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