Esteemed Canadian actor Tom Rooney tells us what it takes to play a dog
Vivian Rashotte | CBC Arts | Posted: February 5, 2025 4:08 PM | Last Updated: February 5
Rooney stars in the stage adaptation of Fifteen Dogs on now at CAA Theatre
Tom Rooney is one of Canada's most beloved stage actors. Over the last three decades, he's taken on some of theatre's most memorable roles, from Romeo in Romeo and Juliet to Henry Higgins in My Fair Lady.
But Rooney has also played a big part in contemporary Canadian theatre, which is where we find him now. Currently, he's playing Majnoun, a black poodle, in Mirvish's remount of Fifteen Dogs at Toronto's CAA Theatre. The play is based on André Alexis's Giller Prize-winning book of the same name, which follows a group of dogs who are given the gift of human consciousness and language.
While Rooney doesn't wear a full dog costume in the play (he says there are a few costume pieces to suggest which breed of dog each actor plays), he does take on all of the mannerisms of a dog, including barking, panting, scratching and sniffing.
WATCH | Official trailer for Fifteen Dogs:
"We've always tried to stay away from being on all fours," Rooney tells Q's Tom Power in an interview. "We try to do the essence — we try to suggest the dog.
"The thing that I find very interesting is just the little things that you can do to suggest a dog. Just a tilt of the head, the energy of a dog — you know, dogs are generally always moving. The eyebrows are always going. They're all very, very much alive. The focus that dogs have. It's wonderful to be able to try to tap into the dogness of it all."
Rooney had read Alexis's book before joining the play's cast. He says he found the story to be quite tragic, but not without humour and beauty.
It's wonderful to be able to try to tap into the dogness of it all - Tom Rooney
"It's about poetry, it's about language, it's about love, but it's also incredibly funny," he says. "I just loved the people that were involved and the challenge of bringing a dog to life on stage."
But does a veteran stage actor like Rooney ever feel a bit silly playing a dog? "Absolutely," he says. "Many nights I think, 'Here I am, playing a dog. I've made it.'"
You can catch Fifteen Dogs at CAA Theatre in Toronto now until Feb. 16.
The full interview with Tom Rooney is available on our podcast, Q with Tom Power. Listen and follow wherever you get your podcasts.
Interview with Tom Rooney produced by Ben Edwards.