THEATRE REVIEW: The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time

I’m not an avid patron of the West-End, primarily due to the cost of entrance combined with my meagre university student funds. Because of this, I try and see acclaimed productions so that my money isn’t squandered. With The Curious Incident, not only did I see a spectacular play; I saw a mind-blowing technical wonder.

For those not aware, the play is based on the book of the same name, and tells the story of Christopher Boone (Joseph Ayre / Thomas Dennis); a young boy living in Swindon, in the UK. Christopher is on the autistic spectrum, and lives with his seemingly estranged dad, Ed Boone (Nicolas Tennant), who drinks frequently and sometimes struggles with the unique personality Christopher has grown up with. The play opens to a frantic scene in which Christopher discovers a neighbourhood dog has been murdered with a garden fork. Not content with the unsolved crime, Christopher begins investigating the mystery – a mystery which leads him down a path of self-discovery and adventure.

Despite the titular dog in the title, Curious Incident really isn’t about the deceased animal at all. By the end of the first act, the play has already dealt with themes of isolation, mental health, and family struggles. I began wanting to know who murdered the dog, but this is discovered relatively early (at least for the keen-eared of the audience). Instead, I then wanted to learn more about Christopher’s past, and the reasons he’s in the family situation he is. It’s truly engaging stuff, and not what I’d expected from a play originally based on a book for young-adults.

Of course, none of these themes would be quite as poignant were it not for the fact the acting in Curious Incident is outstanding. I’ve always been a cinema-goer, and never really appreciated quite how spectacular the theatre experience could be. After seeing The Woman and Black and now this, my opinion has completely changed; the performances throughout are exceptional. Front-and-centre is Christopher, who was played by Thomas Dennis at the performance I saw. Dennis’ ability to somehow make us empathise both with those around Christopher and the character himself is something to behold, and makes the moments of drama all the more harrowing. The structure of the play also lends itself to successful characterisation, as the action frequently switches between Christopher’s home life, and his interactions with his teacher, Siobhan (Jo Castleton).

Christopher’s dad also plays a crucial role in the development of the plot, and is expertly played by Nicolas Tennant. You have many reasons to dislike him by the end of the production, but Tennant’s realistic portrayal of a man struggling to connect with his socially-challenged son is really something to behold.

However, there’s an aspect of the play which surpasses even the performances: the production design. I don’t even just mean the fact that the stage is designed like a grid to symbolise Christopher’s acute fascination with maths; for many moments throughout, the audience is treated to a spectacular visual feast akin to a light show. Not only this, but the entire stage moves and contorts during certain scenes to represent varying locations and internal struggles. The first time it happens it’s impressive, but Curious Incident amazes more than once, and by the end your jaw will have dropped more times than you could count.

The main reason I’ve written this review is because the current West-End production of the play is concluding at the Gielgud theatre on June 3rd, and I implore you to check it out before it does. Not only did it open my eyes to how incredible live performances can be, but A Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time made me take a look at myself and evaluate who I am as a person. Hyperbole? Maybe, but it was a humbling experience nevertheless.