We chatted to Ajay about directing Tate Elizabeth Hanyok’s ‘Dog Mom’ at the Southwark Playhouse .
Hi Ajay, what can you tell us about Dog Mom?
It follows Sarita, a recently divorced Indian-American woman in her fifties who is trying to rebuild her life in Brooklyn. She wants independence, order and absolutely no responsibility for anyone else.
Naturally, she ends up fostering an older golden retriever. She thinks it’s temporary. The dog is less convinced. Before long, she’s dealing with dog parks, intrusive owners and an overfamiliar neighbour with a dog of her own. Actors play both the humans and the dogs, and the dogs have plenty to say. It’s very funny, but underneath the chaos is a story about letting someone get close when you’ve decided that’s the last thing you need.
How did you get involved with the production?
I’m directing and co-producing it with EnActe Arts and Riding Lights. I’d been away from directing for more than a decade but when Vinita Belani, the founder of EnActe (who also plays Sarita in this production and has been a friend for decades) sent me Tate Hanyok’s script and I immediately fell in love with it and made me want to return. I loved how quickly it could take me from laughing at these outrageous dogs to caringabout a woman who is trying very hard to convince herself she’s fine.
Working with Tate and Vinita also gave us the opportunity to explore the central character as an Indian- American woman in her fifties. That brought questions about starting again which felt particularly interesting to me.
What made you want to be part of telling this story on stage?
I recognised Sarita’s belief that she could make a plan and get life to cooperate. My own life has moved between technology, theatre and crime writing, usually in ways I hadn’t anticipated. I became a crime writer because my wife spotted a tweet about a competition and suggested I enter. I’m very glad she did.
So I’m drawn to stories in which something unexpected turns out to matter enormously. Sarita sees the dog as a disruption, which of course it is. But that disruption also brings affection and new people into her life. And I love what theatre can do with a story like this. A roomful of strangers laughs together, then suddenly falls quiet because something has touched them. That’s a lovely thing to help create.
How have you found the experience of bringing Dog Mom to life?
It’s reminded me how much I enjoy the immediate collaboration of a rehearsal room. With a novel, you spend a long time alone before anyone else gets involved. Here, an actor can try something and you see the possibility straight away. You need to know what you’re aiming for, but remain open to someone having a better idea.
Our multicultural cast brings different perspectives to the characters, and we have a wonderful design team: Sean Cavanagh on set, Ollie Brown on lighting and Naveen Bhatia on sound. Sean’s set uses fifty six video screens, so there’s a very distinctive world taking shape around the performances.
There’s also the daily challenge of getting through the funny and moving bits without laughing or tearing up ourselves. I appreciate that this is quite a nice problem to have.
What are you most looking forward to about audiences experiencing the show?
The moment when they start recognising the dogs. You’re watching a human actor, then there’s a look or a movement and you think, ‘Yes, mine does exactly that.’ I love the way an audience completes that transformation in its own imagination.
I’m also looking forward to people getting to know Sarita. She can be stubborn and unreasonable, but I hope they’ll care about her and understand why accepting love is difficult for her.
Above all, I want them to have a really good evening. Some laughter, perhaps a few tears, and the reminder that we don’t always have to manage everything alone. Dog ownership is entirely optional.
To book tickets for Dog Mom visit: https://southwarkplayhouse.co.uk/productions/dog-mom/