Zoe Wohlfeld’s dog Twinkles, we discover via a cutesy hand-drawn opening animation, has died. And with the twisty and baroque set of circumstances that led to Twinkles’ demise (they involve a chocolate cake), Wohlfeld blames herself.
We’re invited to Twinkles’ funeral as Wohlfeld publicly figures out how to grieve her best friend. So begins a jamboree of clowning that makes great use of Wohlfeld’s actorly talents, wonderfully expressive face, and clear gift for improv.
One audience member will be led to howl “no!”; another “why!”; and a third will enact a loud orgasm. Wohlfeld will frequently threaten to leave, and repeatedly compare an audience member’s mother to her rear-end. She’ll frequently fall down and ask for the audience’s help to get her back up.
All of this may leave some wondering what exactly it has to do with a dog’s funeral, and the sheer repetitiveness of those audience interactions might just be taken for a lack of material – a lack we feel in pacing that can flag, especially if she’s not blessed with exactly the audience she needs. But Wohlfeld remains committed throughout to a performance with plenty to say about the neediness of the performer and the raw, rending power of grief.
Zoe Wohlfeld: Dog Funeral, Underbelly, Cowgate, until 30 Aug, 5.25pm