Review: 'Dog Sees God' by Vagabond Theatre Company

You know they say a dog sees God in his master. A cat looks in the mirror. - ‘Dog Sees God’

Trumbull, CT - ‘Dog Sees God: Confessions of a Teenage Blockhead’ is a play first presented at the 2004 New York International Fringe Festival and then went on to Off-Broadway. The playwright is Bert V. Royal. As the word “blockhead” suggests, the unauthorized parody involves the characters from the comic strip Peanuts by Charles M. Schulz, but comes with a stern disclaimer that the piece “has not been authorized or approved in any manner by the Charles M. Schulz Estate or United Features Syndicate, which have no responsibility for its content.”

Five minutes in the audience can see why this is the case. The beloved young peanuts have grown to become truly degenerate teenagers. The play addresses drug use, suicide, eating disorders, sexual identity, child sexual abuse, homophobia, bullying, and teen violence, all in ninety minutes. The show slyly disguises the identity of each of the classic characters, perhaps to draw more focus to the myriad of issues rather than trying to guess who is who. While parts of the dialogue are bitingly funny, the emotional effect of the piece comes from the harsh look at the self-discovery of the teenage years.

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Don’t miss the cover of the program that features the cast marked with a one-word label on their forehead. ‘‘Dog Sees God’ runs weekends, May 26 - June 4, 2017 Fri and Sat @ 8 pm Sun @ 5 pm, The Warehouse Blackbox is at Performing Arts Center Of Connecticut, 18 Lindeman Dr Trumbull, CT 06611 General Admission - $20, Students/Seniors - $15, Pre-Order Online and save $5 Group Discount Rates Available.

Pictured: Ian C. Smith as Van and Ryan Shea as CB in 'Dog Sees God' Photo courtesy of Vagabond Theatre Company

Nancy Sasso Janis is a member of the Connecticut Critics Circle and continues to contribute theatre news to local Patch.com sites. Follow her on Twitter @nancysjanis417 and check out her Facebook page Nancy Sasso Janis: Theatre Reviewer.