This was almost certainly the first live theatre in over six months for the vast majority of the audience at least and so there was quite an atmosphere of anticipation as everyone waited outside the entrance of the Lowry on a thankfully dry night. The performance, by Imitating The Dog, actually took place around the side of the building, by the water.
The billing of an old-time travelling show suggested a fun performance and this was certainly delivered but not in the way one might have expected. Aside from a music-hall style welcome from an impresario and the size of the stage being roughly that of a flat-back articulated lorry, any resemblance to an old-time show quickly evaporated. This was a totally modern show, very much in your face and with lashings of black comedy. It was also a very accomplished object lesson in multi-media performance.
‘Dr Blood’ has the aura of a political play but in essence it is more akin to anarchic, knockabout comedy of the likes of television’s ‘Bottom’ or ‘The Young Ones.’ The backdrop is the lower end of modern society where some who find themselves with no hope and in a society that doesn’t care turn to crime. This might sound heavy but this is a show which never takes itself too seriously, with a consistently fast pace against almost non-stop punk music.
The punk-feel of the show resonates with the alienations of inner-city unemployment and hopelessness in the '70s which brought about punk and is still with us with unemployment, the effects of Covid 19 and the uncertainty of Brexit causing anxiety to many. However, the emphasis above all is on entertainment; there is no overt political message and if anything the show is more about how taking wrong paths can have catastrophic consequences. ‘Dr Blood’ often shocks and leaves a number of enduring images but these are more in the context of a horror show than social commentary.
Technically ‘Dr Blood’ is a remarkable achievement using a very complex mixture of conventional acting, puppetry, video backdrops and video close-ups to create a constantly changing concoction of effects and spectacle. This requires considerable synchronisation on the part of the cast but all transitions and conjunctions were impressively seamless. The show only lasts 30-minutes but leaves the audience with the impression of having seen something lasting a lot longer. Indeed, to watch a show as fast-paced, consistently shocking and indeed sophisticated, as ‘Dr Blood’ would be quite exhausting to watch for one and a half to two hours.
The cast of Matt Prendergast, Laura Atherton and Kiecha Greenidge worked very well as a team and appeared to be having a very good time whilst giving sterling performances. ‘Dr Blood’ is both very entertaining and sharply up-to-date whilst ultimately having the essential qualities of an old-time travelling show; shocking and fun, providing some welcome respite from these troubled present times. Imitating The Dog are a company definitely worth keeping an eye open for with future productions and this particular show is highly recommended; a wonderfully in-yer-face mixture of punk, comedy and horror.
Reviewer - John Waterhosue
on - 17/10/20
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