FESTIVAL ‘ 90 : STAGE REVIEWS : OPEN FESTIVAL : Dogs Carry ‘Call of the Wild’

In front of an imaginative wall of ice (actually empty plastic water jugs) designed by Stephen Glassman, adaptor-director Stefan Haves almost brings off the impossible with Jack London’s “The Call of the Wild” at the Powerhouse Theatre.

Haves’ interesting basic trick is simple, leaving the actors playing London’s sled dogs barefaced while the actors playing humans are hidden behind Deborah Bird’s expressionistic masks. That’s probably how dogs do see us.

The dogs are absolutely wonderful. Under the guidance of “dog acting coach” Kuma, it only takes a few minutes before there is no doubt they are dogs. They circle each other with caution, in fear, longing for affection, but trained to distrust not only their long chain of owners, but each other. Sixta Joost is remarkable as Buck, London’s hero, from his first betrayal in California to his final escape--into the wild. Joost often makes Buck seem almost human.

Ellen Goldstein’s lighting is frequently too bright to retain the magic, and the humans are too cartoon-colored, but Buck and the other members of the best sled team in the Yukon do London proud.