The Camden Fringe Interviews
Miles Hitchens discusses Heart of A Dog
Russian novels do seem popular on the London stage, we’ve reviewed plenty over the years. Adding to that fine body of work next appears to be Miles Hitchens, who will be bringing his adaptation of Bulgakov’s Heart of A Dog to Camden People’s Theatre for this year’s Camden Fringe.
Unfortunetly our Russian expert (yes, we really do have one, but she’s currently studying abroad!) wasn’t available, so instead Miles agreed to chat with one of our less knowledable team about why this Russian play is ideal for a Camden audience.
Hi Miles, great to meet you. So what can audiences expect from Heart of A Dog?
Heart of a Dog is an absurdist satire of the early years of the Soviet Union. It combines political angst with touches of speculative fiction. A disturbed old-regime Moscow Professor operates on a stray dog, transforming him into a man, who quickly sides with the workers’ party. Chaos ensues. This is a new adaptation of Mikhail Bulgakov’s novel of the same name, which emphasises the zany humour of the original whilst taking a closer look at some of its quieter themes: particularly what it means to move from one body to another, to make the crossing between animal and human.
When we first staged the play a year ago, it was praised for balancing ‘nonstop humour and gags’ ‘with wonderful grace and humanity’ (Varsity). This may be a retelling of a novel written 99 years ago, but it is one delivered with kinetic precision, surging into the 21st century with new and interesting resonances.
Where will we find the play during Camden Fringe then?
Heart of a Dog will be performed at the Camden People’s Theatre from the 7th to the 11th August (9pm), with a 3pm matinee on the 10th. I had this space recommended to me during the Camden Fringe application period, and upon researching it for myself, seized on having the play staged there. The CPT offers a well-sized and versatile stage; I felt its focus on socio-political issues would make for an ideal environment for this play. We don’t want our audiences to regard the piece just as a fragment of early-Soviet literature, but rather consider what it has to say about contemporary political systems as well as modern Russia.
How long have you actually been working on the play?
I wrote Heart of a Dog in December 2022, just after my first term at university. Feeling somewhat demoralised, and a great deal less sure of myself than I had been before uni, I turned to writing as a creative project where I could funnel my attention. With an eye to getting a play staged by the end of the academic year, I remembered Bulgakov’s story. Heart of a Dog had long been a favourite of mine for its dark comic energy, and I felt the novel would naturally lend itself to dramatization: it’s a book of set pieces, from the gruesome canine operation to the explosive fights which later take place in the Professor’s flat. I set about adapting book, snipping certain characters and events, adding in dialogue and confrontations elsewhere. I was elated when we debuted to excellent reviews, and even more so when some months later I was fortunate to win the CUADC (Cambridge University Amateur Dramatic Club) Fringe Fund to bring the play to Camden this summer.
Is the version coming to Camden Fringe how you originally envisioned when you first put pen to paper?
The first time around, I directed Heart of a Dog. For Camden, I wanted to showcase the piece in a more polished state. I came in contact with the brilliant Olivia Krauze, a far more accomplished director than myself, who, together with the formidable Zach Lonberg (our assistant director), has brought the piece to a new sheen. With a special focus on movement as well as a unique actor-audience relationship, this is Heart of a Dog in its best state. I’m so excited to share it!
As well as the writer, you’re also performing in the show. What can you tell us about that?
I will also be performing in Heart of a Dog as Professor Philip Philipovich. I have enjoyed working with Olivia and Zach to capture this character; if his stern countenance suggests his attachment to the old Moscow, a man who expects deference and respect, within he’s crumbling alongside the old pre-Soviet city. This contrast of inner and outer forces is something we took time to workshop and develop in rehearsals, with keen focus to movement and posture.
Are you already making plans for what comes next after August?
A VR experience, a movie and a scented candle collection (in that order).
Being Camden Fringe, we all know sets have to be bare minimum, how have you got around this with your set and props?
Our set designer, Matilda Maguire, has handled this blazingly. Upstage we will have a curtain, which functions as a wing, a changing room, storage space and a projection wall. Just before that sheet, we’re planning to use a versatile wooden table which suggests the setting – an early 20th Century Professor’s apartment – whilst also serving as an operating desk for the surgery on the dog. We look forward to surprising audiences with our compact, yet deliberate, use of space!
What words of advice/ encouragement would you give anyone thinking about doing Camden Fringe next year?
Start preparing early and work together with a team of people you trust. One of the biggest lessons of putting this play together has been that making theatre, which I’ve always thought perilous at the best of times, can become very manageable depending on the strength of your team. Know something needs doing but unsure how to make it happen? Find someone who has the talents to deliver your vision, while you use yours to assist them later on. It sounds obvious to say it, but theatre is a team sport; teamwork is an acquired skill. I’m extremely thankful to my excellent cast and crew for their hard work, as well as for helping me become a better team player.
Is there anything we haven’t asked that you think we should?
Were there any challenges in the rehearsal room? In a relatively minor way, yes! My original draft of Heart of a Dog had a few phrases of Russian littered throughout it. I do not speak Russian, but I wagered neither did my audience. So, I hold my hands up when I say I copied those expressions from Google Translate. I had not accounted that Olivia would be learning Russian when I brought her onboard. It quickly became apparent these words I copied didn’t hold water. For anybody concerned about the quality of the Russian in the new piece, let me reassure them that it’s all been checked and tested. Heart of a Dog has been scrubbed clean of Google Translate!
Massive thanks to Miles for chatting to us about the show. Heart of A Dog will play at Camden People’s Theatre from 7 – 11 August. Further information and tickets available here.
