Name: Social Animal
Start: 2026-06-07T08:00:00+12:00
Location: Theatre Royal Nelson

You can’t teach an old dog new tricks... can you? The funniest show on four legs. Stephen Papps plays twelve characters – including a dog – in this gloriously funny solo tour de force.
An overweening, insecure man-child suddenly realises he’s becoming completely irrelevant. A fifty-year old woman is desperate for adventure and passion - but stuck in a marriage and a career that no longer inspires her. Add a rescue greyhound, stir the pot, and let the madness bubble up. Biting satire and theatre wizardry fuse in a comically inventive roller-coaster about the fear of irrelevance and the healing power of an animal.
Award-winning actor, writer and solo performer, Stephen Papps, plays twelve characters with beguiling virtuosity in this gloriously funny play about a man who loses face in a desperate attempt to regain his relevance.
Social Animal explores the powerful transformative nature of companionship, devotion and love between a man, a woman and a dog.
“It’s impressive for a performer to embody a big range of characters ... well-written and full of humorous insights and revelations ... glorious!” – Cate Prestige, Theatreview.
Recommended for audiences aged 13+
Created by Stephen Papps and Damon Andrews.
Performed by Stephen Papps.
Touring Aotearoa thanks to Arts On Tour New Zealand