Camden Fringe 2024: Heart of a Dog at Camden People’s Theatre

Camden Fringe 2024 is in full swing with every kind of weird and wonderful performing art finding a stage. And for five days only, Camden People’s Theatre plays host to Heart of a Dog, a tale of mad science, communism and comedy.

Based on the book by Mikhail Bulgakov, which was originally banned in the USSR, Heart of a Dog follows Professor Philip Philipovich, a bourgeois holdout against the workers’ party who want his seven-room flat to share out, and his dog Sharik, a stray from the streets of Russia. One night, Philipovich performs an operation on Sharik, successfully transplanting a human endocrine system into him. Sharik begins to talk and stand on his hind legs, becoming a creature that is not quite man but man enough to fool those around him. Much to Philipovich’s disdain, the dog becomes involved in the party and starts to cause all sorts of trouble.

It’s a satire of the early Soviet Union, exposing its inconsistencies and showing that even a dog would become a respected and upstanding member. But beyond the comedy, there are some subtler themes to ponder over. That of ripping a being out of one existence and plonking them into an entirely different one. And at what point should such a creature be considered human? If they can talk and read and work and have political views, are they not a man? Or does their history define them forever?

It’s an interesting story, packed into a tight 75 minutes. While even in its source material, it was never long, writer Miles Hitchens has still done an excellent job of nipping and tucking to create a streamlined performance with never a dull moment.

Add to that a set of solid performances from Hitchens and his co-stars, polished direction from Olivia Krauze and simple yet effective set design by Matilda Maguire and it’s a £10 well-spent.

Heart of a Dog is an all-round well-crafted show with a genuinely compelling story. There’s always so much on offer at any performing arts festival, and while not everything will appeal to everyone, this has got to be one of the highlights of Camden Fringe 2024.

Jim Compton-Hall
Photo: Matilda Maguire

Heart of a Dog is at Camden People’s Theatre from 7^th until 11^th August 2024. For further information or to book visit the theatre’s website here.