The Curious Incident Of The Dog In The Night-Time – Troubadour Wembley Park Theatre, London

A tenth anniversary tour of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time sees this National Theatre production of Mark Haddon’s beloved book made more inclusive, while retaining all the elements that made it a hit in the first place.

The Curious Incident Of The Dog In The Night-Time

Ten years is a long time in theatre. That this National Theatre production is undertaking a tenth anniversary tour is testament to how well it connects with audiences. And of course how beloved the story is in this country and beyond. Mark Haddon published The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time in 2003. It tells the story of Christopher, whose detective work after a neighbour’s dog is killed leads him to uncover truths about his family. And undertake a journey that is far outside his comfort zone.

Importantly, Christopher is neurodivergent. And the magic of Haddon’s book is how it captures a different way of experiencing the world. As readers/the audience we join some dots ahead of Christopher, while he shares insights that may not occur to a neurotypical brain. As one fellow audience member expressed to me, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time has allowed many people without first hand experience to better understand neurodivergence.

So, like The Ocean at the End of the Lane, this is a book which requires some creativity to adapt and stage. Luckily, in stepped a crack team to do just that. Simon Stephens wrote the adaption. The play is true to the novel, with one main difference, which is a play-within-a-play structure. Haddon’s novel reads as a story written by Christopher about his experiences. In the play, Christopher’s teacher Siobhan encourages him to turn this book into a play. It a clever touch which knowingly brings the audience in, and allows moments of breaking the fourth wall.

What will stick with most audience members above all, however, is Bunny Christie‘s set design. The tour, which starts with a residency at Troubadour Wembley Park Theatre, retains this original design faithfully. Black tiles serve as a versatile backdrop. The set has imbedded pixels, and hidden compartments. It’s incredibly clever, and helps to foster the sense that we are in someone else’s world: Christopher’s. The entire creative team cleverly supports this, down to the prime numbers hidden in Adrian Sutton’s score.

Tenth Anniversary

So to come back to my earlier point, this is the production’s tenth anniversary tour (having started life in the National’s Cottesloe Theatre in 2012). That’s a long time in theatre. It’s also a long time in certain conversations, particularly those around neurodivergence and autism. There have been changes for this tour, therefore, which the programme addresses. They include rethinking access, some changes to language, and ensuring that the lived experience of autism was part of the process, from casting onwards. Access All Areas supported The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time in achieving this.

As is often the case, setting clear guidelines around inclusion and access seems to have reaped rewards on many levels. There is a real depth to the diversity of the cast. Some roles are shared between actors, which is still not very common but seems to be on the increase. And there are some really wonderful performances and connections. The role of Christopher was performed by Connor Curren for the press night performance, and kudos must go to him. This is such a physical and taxing role, which Curren handles adeptly, telling Christopher’s story on his own terms.

The other stand-out performance for me was Rebecca Root as Christopher’s teacher, Siobhan. Not all of the characters in this story are equipped with the skills to understand and support Christopher. It’s thus often through the character of Siobhan that we as audience members can insert ourselves into this play. We empathise through her as we see Christopher struggle to confront challenging situations. And we celebrate his wins through her. Root is really wonderful in this role – I had tears in my eyes as the story reached its climax.

Final Thoughts

This residency, which will kick off the 2021-2022 UK tour, is well worth the trip to Wembley to see. If you haven’t been before to the Troubadour Wembley Park theatre, it’s an experience in itself. Troubadour grew out of an experiment in bringing the tricky staging of The Railway Children to life; they are now rethinking theatre spaces entirely. None of the sight line issues that some West End transfers face when you’re in a vast, modern space like this! And most importantly, as the Joint Founders & CEOs note in the programme, “an abundance of loos!”

But mostly this is an opportunity to either discover or rediscover a production that has stood the test of time. The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time is a story that is full of heart, about the bravery to push yourself to your limits and beyond. All of the elements come together to create a special connection with audiences. It is a joy to be part of.

And without giving too much away, at some point there will be an invitation to stay for an encore after the curtain call. Do it! The production team get to use the full range of the set’s possibilities, and the play goes out with a bang.

Salterton Art’s Review’s rating: 4.5/5

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time on at Troubadour Wembley Park Theatre until 9 January 2022 as part of a UK tour.