If the set design of the Russian comedy “Heart of a Dog” is any representation of the play itself, be prepared for something surreal.

Marquette Theater’s stage is lined with brightly colored walls that pay no attention to architectural rules; sharp angles give the appearance of a jagged ceiling on the space. But as the Department of Theatre Arts and Dance prepares to close its season with two weekends of the play directed by Benjamin Clement, A’93, the last thing on anyone’s mind is pleasing delicate palates.

The play follows the story of a rejuvenation specialist who implants a human pituitary gland and testes into a stray dog, who then becomes Sharikov — a human with a love for intellectual and sexual exploits.

“Heart of a Dog” has been adapted from its original writing, which was banned from publication in Russia for decades after it was written. But artistic director Georgia Gresham, chairwoman for the Department of Theatre Arts and Dance, said that its farcical content has stayed true to the original ¬— and is still relevant today, which was one of the reasons why she chose to produce it.

“Even though it’s placed in a different time and place, we felt it was a piece a contemporary audience could relate to,” Gresham said. “It’s dealing with a lot of contemporary issues like genetic mutation.”

Clement also sees the piece as significant to social issues in the United States today.

“This is a play that was written in 1925 and banned in Russia for 40 years,” he said. “Yet it still (includes) a housing crisis, political turmoil … and there’s this whole healthcare aspect to it as well.”

Clement, a former theatre and broadcast production double major at Loyola, went to Chicago for graduate school.

He and his wife, who also attended Loyola, returned to New Orleans to be closer to family.

When he returned, Clement found a home again at Loyola as a part-time teacher and outside director — now working on what will be his fourth play direction at the university.

“This is the largest cast I’ve worked with,” he said. “The hair, makeup, set and sound are all designed by students, and I like it a lot. It’s as much a learning experience for me as it is for them. I’m an actor, I’m a director, but I’m not a designer.”

Student set designer Adam Alonso, theatre arts senior, designed the unusual scenery as part of his senior thesis and based it on Russian expressionism, a style popular among plays from the same period.

“At first, I was at a loss of how to actually style it,” Alonso said. “Then my adviser, Geoffrey Hall (assistant professor of theatre arts), said to look at what was being done when the play was written.”

The finishing touches to the bright polygonal walls will include propaganda posters carrying slogans from Barack Obama’s presidential campaign to bring a modern tie into the political issues addressed in the play.

“It’s the idea of strong and swift governmental change,” Alonso said, “much like the idea of Stalin taking this system and imposing it onto the people.”

Just like nearly every other aspect of the play, the set design plays into the theme of farce, as those involved in the play are quick to point out.

“I’ve decided the play is more of a farce than anything,” Clement said.

“It’s a good piece to let our students experiment with farce style,” Gresham said.

Theatre arts freshman Andrew Gude, who plays Bormenthal in “Heart of a Dog,” said that performing in this play has been different from performing in his only other Loyola production, “Jihad Jones and the Kalashnikov Babes,” in part because of the strange nature of the play.

“It does require some wacky elements,” Gude said. “I knew it was about the Russian Revolution, but I didn’t understand how it connected until we started rehearsals and read-throughs. It’s definitely funny.”

“Heart of a Dog” will perform March 11, 12, 13, 18, 19 and 20 in Marquette Theatre at 8 p.m., and March 14 at 2 p.m.

Kevin Zansler can be reached at [email protected]