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Writer's pictureNathan Schulz
Nov 21, 20232 min read

Is it my Cup of Tea? Spooky Dog & the Teen-Age Gang Mysteries


As my partner and I enter the Tugun Theatre, we’re surprised to see tables in front of the stage, and people enjoying their BYO drinks and food. What a great idea, I thought. If only I had paid more attention when booking our tickets, we’d not have swallowed our food not five minutes ago, to make it here in time.


But, what’s done is done. And oooh, they do sell beverages at the ticket office. So beer in hand, we take our seats, ready to enjoy the show.


I first heard of Spooky Dog because the director, Nathan Schulz, was talking about it years ago, and lent me his copy of the play to read. And I had laughed my socks off. I had loved the idea of taking a popular cartoon show and making it spicy and funny for adults. It is that kind of humour where you feel a little bit naughty for ‘desecrating’ a kid’s show, but love the easter eggs and memories it brings up.


Before the show starts, Nathan setts up the scene, giving us - the audience - instructions for audience participation. Then he gets one audience member to pick a name out of bag. Turns out, the cast will incorporate this out-of-the-hat character into the show as the person who has gone missing and the gang is on the case. Tonight, the name is Michael Jackson. A great source for improv, and we are not let down.



With the stage design (very cartoonish – perfect to reminisce about the original TV show itself), the music, the energy of the actors, and the Monty Python type gags, this is a riot. Now add the immersive theatre side of this show – where someone from the audience gets lead (literally, with a dog leash and collar) on stage to interact with and participate in the gag with the cast. Amazing!


I was blown away at the quick-witted Michael Jackson references into the script. The cast only had a few minutes to figure something out, and they made it work. The timing, the impact and the relevance to the storyline AND Micheal Jackson perfectly blended together and made it seamless.

And the dance/ghost chase numbers! Oh, my! Both funny and impressive.



All in all, my partner and I had a lot of fun. We were engaged, the atmosphere was great and the show itself was a boost to our weekend.


So yes, it was definitely my cup of tea. But be aware. This show has crude humour, so do keep that in mind if you want to book a ticket.


Julia Mesrobian, signing out!


Tickets for this week's last remaining shows on Thursday 23rd, Friday 24th and Closing Night Saturday 25th from 730pm (QLD TIME) can be found on the link below.



*Spooky Dog and the Mystery Teen-Age Gang contains explicit language and crude humour which may offend some people. This show is strictly recommended for people aged 18 years or older. The director, cast and committee intend to create an entertaining experience, but understand that comedy is subjective. Please consider if this explicit content is right for you before purchasing your ticket. We hope you enjoy the show!*


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