Judi Herman speaks to Shahaf Beer, whose play filters the darkest period of modern Jewish history through the eyes of a dog.

Shahaf Beer’s one-person play (performed by Harry Drummond) is inspired by the bestselling novel by fellow Israeli Asher Kravitz. The entire story is narrated from the perspective of the central character – a dog. Fellow dog lover and owner Judi Herman spoke to Beer to find out more about the production.

Judi Herman: Can you tell us about the unusual technique you use with a camera to tell the story from the dog’s point of view?

Shahaf Beer: My adaptation uses close-circle-camera projection (also known as ‘live cinema’). It allows me to bring in more visual storytelling elements. I use a camera attached to Caleb the dog’s snout to bring his view point to the audience. I control the video live feed and manipulate it during the show in reaction to the actor. I’d also like to mention our talented production crew of lighting designer, Hans Sayles, and composer, Eyad Arad.

JH: That sounds so exciting! How did you become involved in theatre?

SB: I grew up in Rehovot, near Tel Aviv. It had a community theatre and that's where I started to make theatre and explore what it means. Almost five years ago I moved to the UK to do my BA in Design for Theatre at Wimbledon College of Arts and stayed in the UK to work.

JH: Is there a canine companion back in Israel?

SB: It's my family dog, Herzl. I adopted him when I was a teenager. He’s fierce but a giant ball of love. He was found in Jerusalem when he was a tiny puppy He’s now 10 years old, a mixed breed of Akita, Japanese Shepherd and a Caucasian Shepherd. But with the transition of life when I moved to the UK, I had to leave him… I try my best to keep in touch… .

JH: I can relate to that – I have a beloved little Bedlington Terrier bitch called Biba, after the ‘swinging sixties’ fashion shop! Can you tell us about the idea behind the play?

SB: I read Kravitz’s book years ago. And as a theatre-maker, I always have a ‘drawer’ of ideas in my brain.

The story begins in 1935. The dog is born into a Berlin Jewish family. Family life, the rise of the Nazi regime and the Nuremberg laws are described through the dog’s perspective. It allows us to have this very pure and naive outlook because he also doesn't understand what it means.

First, he's absorbing Jewish life and joy in pre-war Berlin. It’s about having fun, we show the family celebrating some holidays, and that was very important to me.

The Nuremberg laws banned Jews from raising pets, so the family must give the dog away. They give him to their German friend, and the dog describes how he’s handling the new home and the differences between the Jewish family and the new family.

And then he’s adopted by the Nazi military. He’s told that Jewish people are bad … at some point he’s trained to be an attack dog. Eventually, he’s sent to be a guard dog in Treblinka concentration camp.

So there’s the arc of the transformation of a character and the way society always tells him what he is. In the end, the dog is a reflection of the society around him.

JH: So the dog is transformed into a canine Nazi? It’s a story that has clearly moved you.

I’ve talked about this project for a long time. The book has a beautiful and happy ending but I predict an audience in tears. Or yelping like a sad dog.

The Jewish Dog will be performed as a work in progress on Saturday 8 & Sunday 9 February, 7.45pm. £10.Omnibus Theatre. SW4 0QW. www.omnibus-clapham.org

A full performance will take place at Sprint Festival, Camden People's Theatre NW1 2PY on 27 March, 9pm. As Part of Sprint Festival: Tickets £8 - £12 (excluding booking fee).

The Jewish Dog is supported through a Mead Fellowship, awarded by University of the Arts London.