Hair of the Dog- The Seven Oaks, Manchester

Writer: Mark Griffiths

Director: Kerry Ely

Stop me if you’ve heard this one: an actor, a painter and a scholar walk into a bar…

The Actor (Jonathon Carley) holds court in his favourite Soho bohemian drinking club, putting forth his highbrow opinions on the mysteries and beauty of Art while anxiously awaiting a possible job offer. He is joined by his friend The Painter (Richard Unwin) and his new boyfriend The Scholar (Adam Gardiner). The latter, whilst not a philistine, feels the value of scientific rationality should not be ignored which brings him into conflict with The Actor’s somewhat snobbish outlook. Their argument is interrupted by reports of the murder of a mutual friend whose death is attributed to a serial killer known to be active in the area. A surprise discovery suggests the killer may be closer than anyone has suspected.

It is not easy to identify a single theme or focal point in Mark Griffiths’s Hair of the Dog. The presence of a functioning bar in the performance area and promotional beermats suggests a cheerful celebration of pub culture. Yet there is an artificial tone, the characters are referred to by title instead of name indicating they are intended as articulations of viewpoints rather than convincing people. Certainly the play is not short of ideas with arguments about how scientific and mathematical methods can contribute to the assessment of artistic concepts or whether the suburbs promote positive communal values or simply develop prejudicial opinions against people who do not conform to perceived norms of behaviour.

The thriller aspect of the play is underdeveloped. Director Kerry Ely favours a light, comedic approach; a physical altercation between the characters is staged for laughs as a playground squabble. The misleadingly light approach does, however, ensure the sole indication of violence, in an ambiguous scene towards the conclusion, comes as a complete, and credible, shock.

The play could be taken as a study of a self-deluding character in decline. The Actor dominates the play being the only character allowed to articulate his backstory and admit deterioration from respected professional to a hack scrabbling for a living doing voice-overs.  In a rich, grandiose performance Jonathon Carley creates an actor with a capital ‘A’, shamelessly channelling Tom Baker to the extent he even quotes Baker’s exit lines from Dr. Who ; an indulgent gesture which may puzzle anyone not a fan of the show. Despite The Actor regarding suburban values as small-minded he is hardly open to ideas which do not accord with his own taking a bombastic approach to anyone who dares disagree.

The Actor is not an easy character to like, he looks down on voice-over work but gloats over the financial benefits making his artistic pretentions seem hypocritical.  His drinking companions are less exhausting company and more balanced in their opinions. The Painter acknowledges artistic aspirations must be supported by practical actions while The Scholar does not dismiss the value of art but feels priority should be given to scientific endeavours with a measurable outcome.

While Carley revels in conspicuous consumption Richard Unwin explores the darker side to hedonism; hinting The Painter has a preference for rough sex and a resigned, grim acceptance that a life of excess tends to be short. The Scholar may be cynically exploiting The Painter’s generosity to   indulge in a walk on the wild side, sampling the seedier aspects of life before settling down in a respectable but safe suburb. In a play short of tension Adam Gardiner brings a welcome ominous sign of menace to ensure the audience does not become complacent.

Hair of the Dog is a restless play, full of ideas but lacking the focus which would help identify a central theme. The audience does, however, have the experience of being in the company of a stimulating, if provocative, group of friends.

Runs until 29th March 2026