This autumn Buzzcut Productions will be taking their critically acclaimed show BARK BARK on tour across nine venues in the South East from the 12 to 24 of November, supported by house theatre network and Arts Council England.

BARK BARK tells the eerie tale of a young couple who answer an ad to house and dog-sit. What unfolds is an unnerving story told through relatable characters, blending live music and sophisticated performance with technology, as the show’s boundless creativity unfurls right in front of the audience.

Gabe Winsor

Gabe Winsor is a director from Dorset, now based in London. He is the Artistic Director of Buzzcut. Gabe’s work has been shortlisted for The New Diorama’s Untapped Award and The Pleasance’s Charlie Hartill Award. Sockpuppet was an Evening Standard Top Pick of VAULT Festival. Bark Bark was a top pick of the 2024 Edinburgh Fringe Festival by The Scotsman, The Skinny, and Fest. He is an artist in residence at UCA this year.

Previously for Buzzcut Productions: Bark Bark (North Wall Arts Centre/Summerhall Arts, Edinburgh Fringe Festival); Sockpuppet (VAULT Festival); The Effect (King’s Head Theatre).

Theatre includes: The Gel (New Diorama Theatre); Attempts on a Birch Tree (Bloomsbury Festival).

Film include: KFC LOVER (Short Film).

Can you tell us a little more about what audiences can expect and who BARK BARK will appeal to?

What is the most exciting part about devising a show that is made up of so many different art forms?

It requires a great team. As a director in a show like this, I have my toes dipped in a lot of different deep waters. From Cat as our puppeteer, Beck as our camera operator, to Alasdair and Ezra as our actors, everyone brings a depth of experience to their role.

Once the team is together, my direction becomes more about composition than creation.

Can you tell us a little more about the live music score and how music is integrated into part of the performance?

Faye’s score for the work is fantastic. It’s the tonal backbone to so much of the show. She plays her compositions live from a piano sat on stage, alongside two other instruments, and triggers small Foley sound effects like footsteps and the tweeting of birds.

At one point she’s playing the accordion and piano at the same time. With the show’s images being constructed live, it was important to us music was no exception.

The story is told from the perspective of the dog. How did you start to develop its personality?

We decided it was a whippet, and that made a lot of the decisions for us in some ways. We wanted a dog that did lots of watching, and (ironically) not a lot of barking. Cat our puppeteer, and Emily our assistant director have done brilliant work to animate the nervous little creature.

What are you most looking forward to about taking the show out on the road across the Southeast?

It will be great to see the work in different spaces. There’s something really satisfying as a director about seeing a show adapting to the architecture of different buildings. Whether that be the old church of Jacksons Lane, new theatre spaces like The Nutshell, or an audience with real dogs at Farnham Maltings, there’s a fantastic variety of South East spaces we’re heading to!

We hope audiences will come out to watch the show and support their local theatre in the process. My local theatre growing up The Lighthouse in Poole is part of the house southeast theatre network, so it’s great to now be touring work to the types of venues I was visiting as a kid.