Some thoughts arising after reflecting on The Stirling Players production of Sylvia, include the observation that dogs just want to show us love and be loved in return.
Equally, we get jealous when our significant other is distracted by things or people that are not us, just like dogs do. Dysfunctional behaviour often follows.
And, furthermore, the difference between dogs and humans is that a dog’s animal self resides at the very surface of its being, whereas a human’s is typically buried deeply like a bone in the backyard.
In Sylvia, we meet Greg (Scott Battersby) who comes home one day after taking possession of a stray dog, Sylvia (Dora Stamos), in a park. The arrival is not welcomed by Greg’s wife, Kate (Anita Zamberlan Canala), who gets immediately on edge by having to make space in her life for her partner’s new “love interest”.
This thoughtful comedy was well liked on Broadway with Sarah Jessica Parker playing the lead role in the first performance, however, despite a forebear of such pedigree, Dora Stamos owns the role in this production. Our suspension of disbelief is well aided by an inspired opening costume for Dora (bravo, Gilian Cordell), all earthy yarn and classically tattered, and by Dora’s sublime embodiment of canine characteristics from facial signalling to the trembling of limbs betraying pent up energy and intent. We all wanted to give her treats!
Battersby and Zamberlan Canala are masterfully stilted and awkward, creating a topsy turvy world in which the pet is more together than the humans. Director, Erik Strauts, has underlined that contrast even further through Tom, a truth-telling stranger in the park (Nathan Brown) barely makes eye contact with Greg, Phyllis, a friend of Kate’s (Ashleigh Merriel) is all self-absorbed, and Leslie, the therapist (Stephanie Russell) is obsessively manic about their folder and appearance moreso than their patients! It’s wonderful disorder.
Clever use of the set (Erik Strauts, Stuart Partis), squeezes extra life out of it for some external scenes, with most of the action taking place in a rather spacious New York apartment.
Original music throughout, composed by Stirling Players own Probir Dutt, adds rich atmosphere, aided and abetted by some bold lighting design (Paul Tossell).
I would be curious to see this production without American accents because I am sure it would hold up and even transcend the geolocation, but that minor niggle is more than compensated for by some wonderful belly laughs and chortles throughout, followed by plenty to chew over.
Sylvia plays until September 28, 2024, at the Stirling Community Theatre.