Truth’s a Dog Must to Kennel

Why did William Shakespeare have King Lear’s fool leave in the middle of the play? Was it because he couldn’t save the world with laughter? Tim Crouch reappropriates this ancient archetype of humour, and asks him to leave. But thanks to a virtual reality headset, he can still watch the rest of the performance... Is he passive? Active? A voyeur? Alone? With us? British playwright, actor, and director Tim Crouch questions the way words can resonate in an audience. For the past twenty-five years, his writing has explored the question of the relationship to the spectator. In parallel to An Oak Tree, a play he’s performed throughout the world and which he will be presenting for the first time in France at the Festival d’Avignon, he is alone on the stage as this Shakespearean character who questions the power of representation. What has theatre become since the pandemic, the lockdowns, and overdigitalisation? From Shakespeare to the metaverse and stand-up comedy, Truth’s a Dog Must to Kennel tackles the question of the death of live art.

Truth's a Dog Must to Kennel, by Tim Crouch, is published by Methuen Drama.

Interview with Tim Crouch

With Tim Crouch
Text, direction and interpretation Tim Crouch
Translation for surtitles Catherine Hargreaves
Assistant Director Karl James, Andy Smith
Music Pippa Murphy
Lighting Laura Hawkins
Artistic collaboration Brian Ferguson, Adura Onashile

Production The Royal Lyceum Theatre (Edinburgh)
With the support of Made in Scotland (Edinburgh) and Onda - Office national de diffusion artistique and for the 77th edition of the Festival d'Avignon: British Council