Student Theater Review
'Dog Melodrama' Revival Could Use a Shot in the Paw
Thursday, May 4, 2006; Page VA07
Those who are inclined to think that modern theater has gone to the dogs might be interested to learn that there used to be a time when something called "dog melodrama" was all the rage.
In the early to mid-19th century, this genre of theatrical production featured dogs as star performers in the emotionally overheated adventure stories and romances that were popular at the time. The animals received top billing for their feats of heroism and drew large, enthusiastic audiences. New Old Theater Company, which specializes in re-creating Victorian melodrama, has brought an example of the genre back to life with its current production of "Caesar; Or, the Watchdog of the Castle," now in a limited engagement at Alexandria's Lee Center.
It's difficult to say if this production is for children or adults. Written by W.T. Moncrief and first staged in 1844, "Caesar" has a convoluted, dramatically dense plot that defies easy explanation and will quickly bore kids. The story is set in France in 1804 and has something to do with restoring an old castle to its rightful owners. There are a host of melodrama conventions, including separated lovers, mistaken identities, a nefarious villain, swordplay and a simple-minded human hero, Caesar, who seems to have been raised by dogs. And there are two real dogs, a pair of Shetland sheepdogs named Aramis and D'Artagnan. Children will enjoy the dogs, but they are onstage so little that kids could take naps between appearances.
This being melodrama, the audience is encouraged, nay, implored, to boo or hiss when the villain makes his entrance, sigh at the interludes featuring the requisite lovers and otherwise demonstrate their feelings. (Eighteenth-century audiences used to throw things, but that's discouraged here.) More interesting for the adults than the plot, or even the dogs, might be the performance style of melodrama, which features non-naturalistic acting dependent on exaggerated facial and vocal expression, and a tendency to strike poses at the ends of statements. Actors declaim directly to the audience most of the time, rather than each other, and mug as much as possible.
New Old Theater Company has attempted to re-create the original experience as much as possible. The lighting is flat and never changes; live music from a trio named Four Winds (bassoon, clarinet, flute) nicely punctuates dialogue and provides graceful segues, and several musical and comedy presentations precede the start of the second act after intermission. As a theater history lesson it is interesting; as pure entertainment, not so much.
The production, directed by Buff Huntley, seems enervated and the acting is listless, rather than overheated. The eight human cast members do not seem fully engaged and they seem unwilling to lose themselves in the highly stylized overacting called for by melodrama. This ends up suppressing any audience instinct to provide truly spontaneous reactions. The lack of energy results in long pauses between the end of one actor's speech and the next lines. The participation of the dogs comes much too late and is too little to salvage the show for kids, as the furry stars are held in reserve until the finale.
Aramis and D'Artagnan are owned by local actress Bette Cassatt, who plays the young man named Caesar (further adding to the onstage confusion). The program emphasizes that they have been prepared for their roles by non-coercive training, which is certainly laudable. This show is sponsored, in part, by the Animal Welfare League of Alexandria, which will have representatives at the May 17 performance to answer questions about animal adoption. The league will receive 25 percent of that night's ticket proceeds.
"Caesar; Or, the Watchdog of the Castle" continues through May 24 at the Lee Center, 1108 Jefferson St., Alexandria. For information about the show and how to order tickets, visithttp:/
