The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time
Review – Leeds Grand Theatre – 28th February 2017 – Martha Scott
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time opens with Christopher Boone, a 15 year old boy with Aspergers Syndrome, grieving the loss of his neighbours dog who has been mysteriously killed with a pitch fork. We follow Christopher’s attempts to resolve the mystery by playing detective and are seamlessly led into a much deeper story exploring the world around us, human weaknesses and social stereotypes.
Scott Reid, in the central role of Christopher, gives us an intricate and detailed performance that is both compelling and sometimes heartbreaking, as we see what the world is like through his own eyes. His detailed mannerisms as he grips his trousers in frustration, or his incredible ability to move effortlessly about the stage, deftly helped by the strong ensemble cast as they lift and carry him through various positions in space, is really a joy to watch. A talented cast of actors back up Scott Reid, with Lucianne McEvoy excelling as Siobhan, his teacher, who helps Christopher find ways to deal with the world around him; their relationship stands as a reminder to us all on how we impact and effect someone else. Everyone has had that one teacher in their life who understood them more than anyone else and the relationship between Christopher and Siobhan encapsulates and highlights the significance that this role plays in your life, leaving a sort of nostalgia to be back at school. Emma Beattie and David Michaels play Christopher’s Mum and Dad with love but also with a frustration that makes them all the more relatable as parents. As Christopher doesn’t like to be touched, the moments when he lets his palms touch with his parents’ brings a lump to your throat.
Marianne Elliot is a masterful director adding lashings of humour to this production and her vision collaborated with Bunny Christie’s phenomenal design brings to life the world inside Christopher’s mind. We see projections and lights designed by Finn Ross and Paule Constable that guide us wherever Christopher goes, giving us not only an insight into his journey but also access to his innermost feelings and thoughts. The set compliments the lighting and is cleverly designed, transporting the audience from one place to the next. The choreography by Scott Graham and Steven Hoggett from Frantic Assembly, adds another layer to this extraordinary piece of theatre; there is a clear movement vocabulary from the start which helps the audience accept and enter this world. The intricate movement detail sweeps us along with the story and is handled by the cast with ease and flow.
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time had us gripped from the start and never let us go, even after the production ended and the cast took their bows, Christopher re-enters the stage as the audience are leaving to bestow a final maths equation upon us before showering us in confetti. The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time is a truly exquisite piece of theatre.