Anna Robi & the House of Dogs

Old Fitzroy Theatre · november 2010

Sue Benner Theatre · september 2011

Presented by House of Dogs in association with Tamarama Rock Surfers. Presented as part of Brisbane Festival.

“Iain Sinclair’s direction and Tobhiyah Feller’s design work together well, making the most of a shoestring budget. The action is tight and brightly played, with the visual filth contrasting hilariously with fantasy sequences set to songs by the squeaky clean Doris Day.

Teenage Anna lives with her dog-breeding mum in a filthy house that doubles as a puppy mill. Mum is bedridden and incontinent (just for the fun of it, apparently) and the mutts have the run of the place. Layers of newspaper soak up the dog turds on the floor (except the fresh ones, watch your step) and Anna is forced to sleep in mum’s bed, having been evicted from her own by a bad tempered mongrel and her whelps.

Meg Ashforth and Jemima Snar’s dog puppets, [design Tobhiyah Feller], realistic heads mated to creepy mechanical bodies, are fantastic.”

Jason Blake - The Sydney Morning Herald, November 20th 2010