Dogs Cast Insights on Matt Charman & Menace???

We’re biased, of course, but we’d have to say that our Outing last night to A Night at the Dogs was a huge success. The packed audience gave the Verity Bargate Award-winning play, written by Whatsonstage.com’s own business development manager Matt Charman (who, for the record, submitted his script under a pseudonym!), a resounding reception. At the post-show Q&A with Soho artistic director Abigail Morris, who directed the world premiere production, and members of the company, there was still more praise for the 25-year-old first-time playwright. “You know you are in safe hands (with Matt’s script),” said actor Neil Stuke. “It’s superbly written – such clever dialogue, so precisely written – like David Mamet. It’s got all the right ingredients.” His co-star Trevor Cooper added that the script was “cracking” while Morris declared that “if someone can write a play this good at this age, the future of British theatre looks good.” Cooper also revealed one of the techniques the company used for building feelings of fear and menace into their reactions towards the bully character Paul, played by David Hounslow. “In one of the technical rehearsals, we used a fart machine and it made noises every time he (Hounslow) spoke. It was very funny, but it also gave us the sense that those were brown trouser moments.”

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