National University Theatre Society | Review by Ashleigh Butler
Thoughtful Production Reverberates with Current Conflicts
7 May 2025
Dogfall by Caleb Lewis is an ever-relevant story exploring the cyclical nature of war, as characters Jack, Will, and Alousha fight across the battlefields of the 20th Century. Each scene presents a new battlefield, with each new war being fought by the same characters, brought to life by a trio of fantastic performances from Natasha Lyall, Sam Odgers, and Belinda Lawrence. Set Designers Kathleen Kershaw, Tigerlilly Gledhill and Xingzi Zhang did an amazing job creating a believable bunker to belong to all the different wars, with tinned food and burlap sacks scattered around, making the set feel lived-in. The set also uses the small space of the Drama Room wisely, with set pieces of varying heights used to create dynamic staging by director Isaiah Pritchard, bringing an immersive atmosphere to the piece.
Lyall is particularly strong in Act One as the unfazed but boastful Will, who collects medals from fallen soldiers. She then displays her range, embodying a powerless housewife, as the story shifts briefly to comment on domestic violence in an impactful scene that parodies the idealised home-life of the 1950s as just another battlefield. Belinda Lawrence is convincing as the sympathetic Alousha, although the character is the least developed of the three, leaving Lawrence with less to do as the play goes on.
Sam Odgers’ Jack is slow to warm up in Act One as the anti-war idealist, but captivating in Act Two as the character turns into everything he once hated. The work of costume designers Alex Ellwood and Estella James enhances the character’s development as Jack takes Will’s coat of stolen medals, adding more until the entire thing is covered with discarded trophies of war, and intricate origami scales alluding to a dragon.
Regrettably, the momentum generated by strong performances and vivid ideas was often interrupted by weak transitions, as scenes ended on powerful moments, just for the actors to then drop character and move props before starting the next scene. I would have loved to see these transitions being made into their own moments through choreographed and purposeful movement, which would have helped to keep the energy alive throughout the whole work.
Dogfall does not want its audience to be comfortable. It pushes you to think, to consider how the “war to end all wars” ended over 100 years ago. It asks us what has changed and if change is even possible. This thoughtful production makes clear reference to today’s conflicts. Act Two begins with the word “ceasefire” projected on the screen. The characters wait: they don’t celebrate or move on, but wait until the lights flash red, the sounds of war return, and the fighting begins again. Director Isaiah Pritchard and Assistant Director Jessi Gooding end their notes in the program with “we hope you are as moved by it as we are. Free Palestine.”
Ashleigh Butler loves making theatre, seeing theatre and talking about theatre, so is excited to try her hand at writing reviews of theatre through the Young Critics program. Ashleigh was recently onstage as Mella in Bare Witness Theatre’s production of Sauce in Canberra and Melbourne, and Isla in The Forsaken at ACT Hub. Ashleigh thinks Canberra is the coolest place (she’s not even being sarcastic) and wants to draw attention to the amazing work on display in this city.
