Juliet Meyers: This Flipping Rescue Dog
Camden Comedy Club
16th August 2016

★★★☆☆

I'm a big fan of dogs, so any act about them that features a real, live dog is always going to appeal. Juliet Meyers: This Flipping Rescue Dog is a fun, lively chat with, well Juliet Meyers and her flipping rescue dog, Homer (although Homer mostly just looks cynically at the audience or scratches himself). It's a work-in-progress and will eventually conclude with Homer singing his heart out, or so Meyers claims. Until that time though, I would advise sitting at the edge near the front, as the show currently ends with her companion wandering into the audience for a stroke.

Whilst the chance to make a four-legged friend is always worth a good star rating, leaving that aside for a minute, Meyers herself also deserves some credit. Her show isn't the kind of comedy act where you're going to bust your guts laughing every second (and it doesn't need to be). Instead it's more of a witty conversation about dogs, with a bit of feminism, children and middle-class lifestyle chat thrown in. If you're as much of a fan of mutts as me and you won't be offended by Juliet's irritation with pure breeds, you'll have a good time.

Meyers describes how she came to own a Portuguese rescue dog, why she wanted a dog (if you’re wondering, it's not a replacement for a child) and how her life has changed since Homer arrived. She also discusses the other dogs that were looking for homes, why Homer wasn’t her first choice (though how could you say no to that face?), and the challenges of separation anxiety. There are tales about dog puzzles, Crufts (of which Meyers doesn't approve) and dogs sleeping on their owners' graves. In between all the canine chat, Mumsnet, the symbolism of Ribena and Stephen Hawking all make an appearance. My favourite part though was Meyer's description of her anger when someone tried to pull Homer's tail on the train. A little drastic perhaps, but we all go a bit mad when protecting our pets...

Having just taken the show to Brighton and Edinburgh, it's still relatively new and there were a few hesitations, with Meyers sometimes losing her thread. The running wolf joke didn't always work either. Although the wolf theme is obviously in keeping with the subject matter, I got a bit lost at times. For example, Meyers claimed that when she was a vegan she was a wolf (which given the meat-eating nature of wolves slightly threw me). It was only later when she described her more militant personality during the vegan days that the reference made sense. Yet despite these few faults, I really enjoyed the show. Meyer's friendly, engaging style carries the audience. You simply can't help but warm to her and Homer as they tell us their stories and comment on the world (Homer does this with his eyes - maybe).

Ultimately, if you're a dog lover, they'll be something for you in this show. If you're not, you might want to stay away as it is very dog-heavy. While her Camden Fringe run has come to an end, Meyers is planning to take the show elsewhere so if four paws and a waggly tail is your thing, do keep an eye out for tour dates.

Juliet Meyers: This Flipping Rescue Dog ran from 16th to 18th August 2016 at the Camden Comedy Club, as part of the Camden Fringe.

Nearest tube station: Camden Town (Northern)