Review: Dogfight by Exeter University’s Shotgun Theatre

Walking into the cosy cabaret room in Kay House, the audience was transported to 1960s San Francisco at the time of the Vietnam War. Peter Duchan’s Dogfight follows a group of American marines on the eve of their departure from their homeland to the war in Vietnam. Before they leave, the marines must participate in the tradition of the ‘dogfight’. This tradition involves a cash prize given to the marine who brings the ugliest date to their party that evening. Within this rather masculine and somewhat misogynistic setting, a love story blossoms between the two lead characters.

Exeter University’s Shotgun theatre has done an excellent job in bringing the story to life. Amidst the gritty backdrop of the looming conflict in Vietnam, the cast brought a surprising element of comedy which really shone through. Special mention should go to Stuart Duncan for his many roles throughout the play, especially his portrayal of the waiter which left the crowd in stitches. In fact, the ensemble element of the show was perhaps its crowning glory. From the audience you could really see the effort and dedication of the whole cast no matter how big their role particularly through the seamless choreography which worked like clockwork.

The two leads of this musical also gave incredibly strong performances. Charlotte Harris who portrayed Rose Fenny and Harry Butterwick (Eddie Birdlace) were confident and engaging throughout. The blend of their voices created a mesmerising setting and really conveyed the intimacy shared between the pair. Additionally, Michael Hogg’s portrayal of Boland provided an aggressive contrast to Birdlace’s vulnerability. His power and dominance over the other marines was evident from the moment he walked onto the stage to his final bow.

The production and creative teams have managed to transform what is in essence a rehearsal room at the far end of campus into the world of Dogfight. The set was very minimal but leant itself well to creating different spaces throughout the play. The set changes were sleek and effectively executed. The lighting and the band created a real sense of the tone of each scene, especially the war zone scene in act two. The production team, led by Meg O’Mahony, has done an excellent job in immersing the audience in the story.

It’s a real shame that this show was only on campus for three days. It was brilliant to see what fellow students could accomplish in only a short period of time whilst tackling their studies. Congratulations to everyone involved.

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