Pigs and Dogs - the Spoiler Thread

The spoiler is Honoured Guest thinks they're uproariously funny.

After the ridiculous number of plays inflating themselves past the three hour mark this year, I can't think of anything I'd like to see more than something that'll be over in ten minutes.

I have a nagging feeling that this play will be a massive downer, which will be heartbreaking as Fisayo Akinade was so lovable in Cucumber and Banana.

I reckon the actors won't be there, maybe they are on screens or recorded? It says in the blurb it's 'startling' and would the cast wanna go in for 10 mins especially as that lass is quite hot at the mo

The website credits only the writer, the director and the three actors.

So either it's a production without decor or sound in rehearsal lighting with the actors in their street clothes (PROBABLE)

Or there's a secret team of video designers, composers, scenic designers, animal wranglers and movement directors (UNLIKELY)

Great play!

Some spoilers follow. . .

Without wasting a word, this wry, clear-eyed play depicts how hateful ideas about homosexuality have spread like a virus.

The three actors are like cells in the body of human history, each playing multiple characters, speaking ideas, reflecting the spread of hate through time and continents.

If hate is the disease, this play succinctly and powerfully demonstrates that irony is the cure.

The most effective 15 minutes of communication I have seen, this should be performed in every classroom in the country!

5 stars

Is there a programme/playtext for this?

Presuming it's this : Amazon 40 pages, but probably four or five of them will be a breakdown of the careers of the actors, Caryl Churchill and the production team.

I was there last night (took HG's advice and booked for this to accompany 'Unreachable' which I was seeing at 7.30 - managed to have a quick picnic of sushi between the two.)

Some spoilers:

What I took away was, in response to the Ugandan Anti-Homosexuality Act of 2014, Churchill challenges our perception of attitudes towards homosexuality in Africa (there was a recurring refrain of 'It is our culture') but the play went on to give many linguistic and actual examples of gender fluidity in Africa over the centuries. Later, colonisers and American evangelicals imposed another culture. (There was an interesting line from an American evangelist: 'We failed in the U.S. but we've succeeded in Africa!)

It is educational and we found ourselves listening hard, not wanting to miss a word, but is is so bare, it's almost not a play at all, but a performed essay or a poetic cultural lesson. Worth seeing though. All the actors were deft, with a slight gesture or tone suggesting a new perspective.

Playscripts were available.

P.S. Sharon D. Clarke gave an interesting radio interview about it on Loose Ends today - and also talked about getting married at the Hackney Empire, which sounded wonderful.

I'm surprised there wasn't more chat here about this. And, on the night I went, it seemed markedly less busy than Ding Dong the Wicked. After Escaped Alone being rated highly here, and Here We Go drawing the crowds, I wonder why interest seemed muted for Pigs and Dogs. Perhaps you all saw it and had nothing to say?