London Theatre | 14 October – 7 November 2026
What if your dog could talk? American comedy Dog Mom by Tate Elizabeth Hanyok makes its UK premiere at Southwark Playhouse Borough this autumn, presented by EnActe Arts, America’s largest South Asian theatre company, in association with Riding Lights.
Here are five reasons to see it.
1. A funny, relatable story about starting again
Sarita is in her 50s, newly divorced and living alone in a cramped Brooklyn flat. She wants a tidy, controlled life with no complications, least of all a dog. But when she reluctantly takes in an older stray on a “temporary” basis, she is pulled into the strange world of dog parks and nosy owners, and finds new friends, including her outspoken neighbour Nell, just when she needs them most.
2. Actors playing dogs, brilliantly
Forget puppets or furry costumes. In Dog Mom, human actors play the dogs, capturing all the chaotic energy, unfiltered devotion and lovable weirdness anyone who owns a pet will recognise. It makes for a heightened, playful world that is laugh-out-loud funny and surprisingly moving.
3. A midlife woman at the centre of the comedy
Writer Tate Elizabeth Hanyok set out to put a woman in midlife at the heart of a comedy, a story too often overlooked. The play also treats not becoming a mother with warmth and humour rather than judgement, while celebrating the rare common language of our love for our pets.
4. Made especially for London
Dog Mom is part of the National New Play Network’s Rolling World Premiere, where a new play is developed through several productions with the writer involved throughout. London is its first production outside America, and Hanyok has worked with director Ajay Chowdhury to adapt it for the UK, drawing more deeply on Sarita’s diasporic South Asian identity. Chowdhury is also the bestselling author of the Kamil Rahman crime series and was involved in the early development of the Shazam app.
5. Glowing reviews in America
Reviewing the Californian production, Broadway World called it “the treat we all need” and “sweet, relatable, and so so lovable”. If you love a feel-good night at the theatre, and especially if you love dogs, this should be on your list.
Plan your visit
Dog Mom
Southwark Playhouse Borough, London
14 October – 7 November 2026
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