MAN’S BEST FRIEND | THE TRAVERSE, EDINBURGH | SCOTTISH TOUR
★★★★★
“75 minutes of laughter and tears delivered in a solo masterclass by Jordan Young…”
Theatre should never be fluffy, light and funny. Theatre doesn’t have to be all woe and wrath. Getting the mix bang on is the skill, an expertise Douglas Maxwell demonstrates beautifully with Man’s Best Friend, a thought-provoking and sharply witty 75 minutes of theatre that never fails to keep you guessing as its various threads weave into a satisfying whole.
A man trying to live in the moment, Ronnie is a dog-walker with a lot on his mind. Along with his daily charges – Albert, Carlos, Coriander, Fury and Rex – he visits the local park, avoiding the woodlands beyond. There, during his daily routine, he introduces his nemeses, fellow dog-walkers Jenna, a woman who prioritises her dogs’ spiritual needs, and alpha male, Rosco, the pack leader of his troop of hounds. To them, Ronnie is a rank amateur, although as he puts it, he is a ‘poo bin sat nav’.
Set in lockdown, this is a story of survival and loneliness. With only his animated pals to keep him company – the dogs are gorgeously realised by illustrator Ross Collins and the motion graphics of Richard Poet – Ronnie is coming to terms with the unjustness of life and the unexpected twists fate holds for us all.
His is a life of laughter and tears. It’s a painfully bittersweet piece of writing with a dark vein of humour that serves as a release for both Ronnie and his audience. Perfectly paced storytelling, it’s always gripping and delivered in a solo masterclass by Jordan Young of River City fame, who can hold his audience in rapt silence, and equally have them breathless with laughter, effortlessly.
Young brings a fragile humanity and big heart to the role; confused, angry, frustrated and lost, yet never without a knowing quip or gossipy observation to share. He’s the ideal man to deliver Maxwell’s razor sharp one-liners, his physicality adding to the comic effect.
Directed by Jemima Levick with a tender touch and gentle pace that never lingers but doesn’t hurry, the piece flies by. It’s a testament to all involved that receives the ovation it deserves.
Timely, poignant and insightful, Man’s Best Friend is a searing comment on the inhumanity of a lockdown many continue to come to terms with to this day, as such it makes for cathartic viewing.
Ends Saturday. Tickets here.
