Dog of Carnage

Best of Fringe 2025. ... full review

Writer Benjamin Schwartz and director Natalie Dressel, in league with Spencer Weitzel and Callie Ott, have served up perhaps the smartest and funniest two-person production in the entire Fringe. Excellence that should be preserved in amber.... full review

Left the show afterwards feeling like I just got off an amazing theme park ride. Four days later I am still turning this story around in my brain. Writer, Director, Cast, Tech, all working at the top of their intelligence in a show that feels effortlessly personal and universal, poignant and timely, not too mention HILARIOUS, do NOT miss!... full review

Dog of Carnage is a delightful yet tragic play that unpacks complex issues with light-hearted comedy. The core charm of the play comes from watching the actors play verbal tennis, and it’s amazing how often you switch who you are rooting for throughout the show. The actors do a phenomenal job embodying the script’s quick beat shifts from tender to funny to chaotic, and the story has a shocking number of unexpected twists and turns. It was a 60 minute theatrical treasure!... full review

This was such a perfect piece of theatre that made me laugh a lot and left me in tears and thinking about it for a week afterward. ... full review

One of the best plays I've seen in a long time! Acting was incredible, visually arresting, and a beautifully crafted story that had me laughing one minute and crying the next. ... full review

Another brilliant piece by Benjamin Schwartz, this time focusing on the relationship between two people and the complexities that lie within. It was intense, gripping, and utterly heartbreaking. The actors left every last bit of themselves on that stage. This show is a perfect example of how perspective really makes all the difference and how difficult communication can be when everything with our hearts on the line. Brava to this exceptional team! ... full review

It was intense and sad at the same time humorous causing unease between both partners. Since dogs are part of the family, a break up has the same impact on both parties that a child would have. It brings up a lot of emotional anxiety, someone will be left with grief from the loss of the dog. It makes you wonder who will get custody. The writer Benjamin Schwartz did a thoughtful job of letting you get to know the relationship the couple had before the custody battle over the dog. A lot is revealed from their past lives together through flash backs.... full review

DOG OF CARNAGE is a wild ride of unmatched creativity. Led by two fantastic performances, inventive direction, and a heartfelt and heartbreaking script, DOG OF CARNAGE is the cat’s meow of this Fringe. Highly recommend! ... full review

Visceral, emotional, thought-provoking. A true and honest attempt in diving into the intricacies of relationship dynamics when it comes to personal beliefs, problematic behavior, and the meshing of personalities. How love and tension can be so intertwined. ... full review