Cop-Out and The Talking Dog

Red Radar Productions LLC presents Cop-Out and The Talking Dog, two plays by John Guare. A hysterical and provocative adventure into how war and hang-gliding affect matters of the heart.

In Cop-Out, a straight-arrow policeman falls in love with a war protester at a demonstration, while his alter-ego — a hard-boiled private eye straight out of 50’s-era film noir — wades through femme fatales, dead presidents, and Marilyn Monroe trying to solve his biggest case ever. Two actors portray over ten characters in this fast-paced, high-energy satire of wartime politics and classic movies, which first premiered on Broadway at the height of the Vietnam War but feels as relevant as ever in our current political environment.

The Talking Dog, adapted from Chekhov’s A Joke, explores the highs and lows of a relationship. When a man and a woman take a literal leap of faith together on a hang-gliding trip, adrenaline soars. The woman hears the man shout “I love you” in mid-air, adding to her thrill. Back on the ground, the words don’t come out anymore. Seeking the excitement of the original jump, with her longing to hear the words again, they repeat the adventure again and again. The Talking Dog ponders what’s routine and what gets a rush, and takes a look at love — through it’s flight and eventual fall to Earth.