Social Animal

You can’t teach an old dog new tricks... can you? The funniest show on four legs. Stephen Papps plays twelve characters – including a dog – in this gloriously funny solo tour de force.

An overweening, insecure man-child suddenly realises he’s becoming completely irrelevant. A fifty-year old woman is desperate for adventure and passion - but stuck in a marriage and a career that no longer inspires her. Add a rescue greyhound, stir the pot, and let the madness bubble up. Biting satire and theatre wizardry fuse in a comically inventive roller-coaster about the fear of irrelevance and the healing power of an animal.

Award-winning actor, writer and solo performer, Stephen Papps, plays twelve characters with beguiling virtuosity in this gloriously funny play about a man who loses face in a desperate attempt to regain his relevance.

Social Animal explores the powerful, transformative nature of companionship, devotion and love between a man, a woman and a dog.

“It’s impressive for a performer to embody a big range of characters... well-written and full of humorous insights and revelations ... glorious!” – Cate Prestige, Theatreview.

Recommended for audiences aged 13+

Created by Stephen Papps and Damon Andrews.
Performed by Stephen Papps.

Touring Aotearoa thanks to Arts On Tour New Zealand