Sylvia immediately establishes herself as Greg's constant companion. She does what pets do: she's loves him unconditionally. She's frisky and playful, tireless, loves to be petted and scratched, and hangs on his every word. Soon Greg is avoiding work so he can bask in her delightful company. Kate recognizes a rival for Greg's affections and a threat to her marriage. Soon Greg must choose between wife and dog. It is not an easy decision for him.

The parallel to a man in mid-life crisis with a lover right under his wife's nose is unmistakable and sets up a series of scenes both farcical and a little discomfiting. Should Greg follow his passion to the exclusion on everything else? In one splendid scene at the park, Greg and Tom, the owner of a superbly virile Bowser, observe their pooches in the bushes, and reveal their obsessive relationships with their animals, perhaps to the exclusion of human ones.

"Sylvia" is a tour-de-force for actors,  Sylvia is cute, sexy, innocent, knowing, loyal and amoral, when in the company of Bowser.  Greg is a man discovering how to restore fun to his life, and together they push the relationship to its outer bounds. This is must-see theater, not only for the excellence of the dialog, but also for the clever commentary on life and love in the middle years. You will never look at Fido or Fifi the same way again.

 SYLVIA CONTAINS ADULT LANGUAGE AND SITUATIONS- It's not really for the kids.