World Premiere Winnipeg Fringe Festival 2023
Written and Directed by Brenda McFarlane
Performed by Irene Sankoff
A one-woman comedy.
Length: Under 1 hour
After storming out of her marriage in Los Angeles, Alice is heading home to Canada with her dog, Sassy. On her first night, Sassy disappears into the dark Arizona desert. Now Alice must appeal to the kindness of Animal Control without letting them discover the truth about Alice and Sassy’s dubious past.
Come see this comedy that asks whether every dog deserves a second chance or if every person deserves a dog. This is for everyone who knows that life isn’t worth much without your furry heartbreaker by your side and for everyone who has been asked to make a choice between their pet and a person.
Is The Play Autobiographical
I am often asked if my plays are autobiographical. The answer is yes and no. While I have spent considerable time creating a fictional story, my life has certainly informed what I write about.
- The character lives in Los Angeles with her husband and dog. I once lived in Los Angeles with my husband and dog and 4 cats. I still live with my husband but I now live in Silver City, New Mexico with my second dog (Gidget), 4 different cats (Cami, Rio, Rascal and Mouse) and have a shop cat named Dakota.
- Like the character, I do miss living in Canada to the extent that it has been a threat to my marriage.
- The character sought success in Los Angeles with the hope that she could entice family and friends to visit. I too sought success in Los Angeles for similar but more complex reasons.
- The character says she did not achieve what she wanted in Los Angeles. I too feel that way, although I did manage to briefly own a really cool place near a beach in San Diego until the recession. It turns out, even when you achieve an awesome place by the beach, people just don’t get enough time off to fly to California to visit.
- Like Alice, I did rescue my first dog (Charlie) in Los Angeles. He was returned three times and was about to be euthanized for being food-aggressive, child-aggressive, and cat-aggressive. Once he became secure, he was a very, very good dog but it was a hard journey for both of us, mostly me.
- In the play, the character talks of watching a Cesar Milan show and something clicks. This is fairly accurate if simplified. Milan’s approach to dogs gave me the key I finally needed to understand what I needed to do, or rather how I needed to be with my dog.
- Like Robert, my husband did not initially want a dog.
- I did not steal Charlie, they let me have him. I’m not sure they would have allowed this today. I have stolen a cat though and have wanted to steal a dog.
- I worked as a volunteer at a Humane Society and worked at a Doberman Rescue in L.A.
- I lived in Southern Arizona for a year but when writing the play, I imagined Alice in Quartzsite, AZ.
- Spot the Dalmatian was a real dog and is based on the stories my Dad and Mom told me about a town dog that adopted my Dad at the University where he played hockey.
- Like Alice, I love my Mom & Dad, my family and my friends. I miss them terribly.
- I am unnaturally attracted to social gatherings.