We round up the reviews for Daisy Hall’s play, running at the Hampstead Theatre until the 5th December.
Broadway World: “Sometimes the desire to write a sitcom gets in the way of Hall’s broader dramatic ambitions. The story is tightly structured around a few major deaths, but after some of these there’s a distinct lack of urgency in how the characters immediately return to joking around. Still, Dogstar deserves credit for its originality, in how it walks a tonal tightrope few could pull off.”
The Guardian: “A plot-turn at the end is too enigmatic, the production not powered enough for the turbulence, ocean-bound or otherwise, that it seeks to explore.”
Theatre & Tonic: “For all the bleakness of the situation, Daisy Hall’s writing is very funny. The characters are all distinct, trying very hard to do the one thing, and incapable of staying out of conflict with each other. Most of these conflicts are very fun to watch – many of the jokes dark, yes, but hard not to laugh at – this means that in the moments where the conflict cuts deeper, where they can’t laugh about it, it is really impactful to watch.”
The Reviews Hub: “As the young sailor with blackened teeth, Abdul Jalloh is very impressive: moody and awkward like a teenager in today’s world. Adam Rojko Vega is the slightly sly Gorey, while Justin Edwards is the older and level-headed Babben, who seems to have seen everything there is to see on the ocean and responds to the paranormal episodes with a calm, methodical manner.”
The Arts Desk: “New play about a trapped Victorian whaler is better on dialogue than on plotting.”
London Theatre.co.uk: “Although Dogstar takes place in the 1860s, it feels highly relevant today. Characters worrying about the demise of the whaling industry could well be today’s oil workers anxious about green energy initiatives usurping their jobs. Hall’s fantastical conclusion brings some hope, although, deliciously, this unpredictable voyage keeps us guessing right until the end.”
West End Best Friend: “Daisy Hall is an author of promise who is well served by cast and director of this fascinating glimpse into nineteenth century whaling life.”
The Spy in the Stalls: “Imaginative, thought provoking and a bit bizarre, “Dogstar” is a bracing breath of fresh air, but it could do with having a somewhat clearer idea of where it is heading.”
Plays to See.com: “The writer Daisy Hall has form on this: her last play, Bellringers, was about two men in a tower during a violent thunderstorm. She likes putting men in stressful situations where they can’t get out and seeing what they say to each other. She particularly likes people who really can’t stand each other being forced to accommodate. While all three actors did an admirable job, it was hard going with a colourless plot.”
London Theatre 1: “The comic timing and delivery was very good, with elder seaman Babben (Justin Edwards) possessing excellent stage presence, even with the character’s gammy leg. There were some good punchlines which had much of the audience, including me, chortling away. But the show left me with more questions than answers. Too much didn’t quite add up. “
To book tickets visit: https://www.hampsteadtheatre.com/production/dogstar/