Big dog, big woof.
After years of subtly trying to make this nickname catch on, Kipling DC has decided to bark it loud from the rooftops with Big Dog, a one-hour special about flexing, power, and friendship. With a mix of storytelling, slideshows and sympathies, Kipling transitions between them all with hilarious precision.
It’s very clear from the outset that DC is excited to be here. He doesn’t even finish his own introduction before gracing the stage, demonstrating an overwhelming keenness to be performing. We’re just as keen to watch him.
DC does a great job of exuding a false sense of aggression. He chucks his pink tricycle aside, demands the audience bark with him, and furrows his eyebrows in a way that betray the sad boy energy underneath. It’s the perfect balance of bravado and timidity. He then goes on to perform a series of well-rehearsed bits that maintain that equilibrium.
A lot of the storytelling stems from DC‘s desire to coin the nickname, Big Dog. In these parts, he engages with the audience and, little by little, gives us more and more reason to buy into the nickname he’s generated for himself. His control over how we feel about him is like a magic trick that only he knows the secret to. I could feel myself constantly leaning forward and wanting to offer the respect that Big Dog wanted. He’s just that convincing.
The slideshow parts are where DC cashes in on all the goodwill he’s built up so far. There’s a lot of crowdwork, whether it’s to call out dog names, or staging his own take on game shows, the audience is lapping it up like puppies. These bits are loaded with creativity and have the audience chowing down out the palm of his hand.
In conjunction, these form a really stable loop of building audience trust, rewarding them with a silly bit that involves them, then repeat. It’s simple, yes, but it’s super effective. We’re never left bored of a bit going on too long, nor are we thrown by sudden shifts in tone. It’s a perfectly paced show. Even the transitions between bits are seamless. The show’s more polished than a bone licked clean.
The show is, at its core, rooted in insecurity. Every bit and joke is designed to allow DC to be more vulnerable with his beaming audience, despite his verbal insistence that he’s an alpha. There’s one moment in particular where an audience member claims to be from Whangarei, and DC refuses to believe it, barking loudly—then immediately pulls back, delighted that he’s found a fellow northerner in the crowd. He’s all bark, and just way too nice a guy to bite.
For a show named Big Dog, there’s a lot of sweetness. DC‘s strong focus on the audience’s experience pays dividends as they delight in his involvement of them in his antics. It’s a surprisingly heartfelt reminder that in order to be an alpha, one must have a pack, and Kipling’s endearing personality makes it hard not to want to join his. Do I believe he could lead the herd to glorious dominance over the other dogs? No. But I’d follow him anyway.
Woof woof.
Disclosure: As a somewhat active member of the Wellington performing arts community, I may be quite familiar with a number of the performers in this show. Having said that, I am not a liar, and there is zero bias in my reviews, shut up.
Also, tickets were provided to me for free by the production. Literally changes nothing, though.