BWW Review: BLACK DOG Battles Abusers in South Austin, TX
by Amy Tarver - Sep 20, 2018
Performing at The BARn off Brodie Lane in South Austin, BLACK DOG presented by the Bottle Alley Theatre Company is an immersive theatrical experience, not designed for the faint of heart. Reflecting on the anger and frustration abuse survivors experience, this piece ventures deep into the female characters psyche, providing a taste of what they desire. No doubt inspired by the ME TOO movement, BLACK DOG is a performance piece written by Chris Fontane - a familiar writer and contributor to Bottle Alley. This tragedy is performed creatively by three actors, mostly communicating directly to the audience about the hardships of Ophelia (played by Rachel Holderbach) and Rainey (played by Sara Cormier). The third character is Sam (played by William F. Reed) who represents the abusers of a variety of women, including our protagonists. Overcome by revenge and pain, Ophelia and Rainey capture, torture and kill men who have abused women. However their will for revenge does not stop there, the desire for blood and retribution propels the ladies to cannibalize their victims, or atleast openly fantasize about it. Needless to say, given the premise and rhetoric of this performance piece, it is not appropriate for everyone. Like a pickle shot, there is no middle ground.