The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time
I'll be totally honest: the only thing I'd heard about Curious Incident was about the ceiling collapse that occurred mid-show in December 2013, whilst the show was still playing at the Apollo. I read a brief summary of the show online then, but discounted the story as cliched and dull, and never gave it a second thought. Recently, an enthusiastic tweet by an actor I follow (whose tastes in theatre I tend to agree with) ignited an interest in the show, and with an empty evening in London, I decided to try something new and give Curious Incident a shot.
Also, let's be clear; I don't like plays. Never have, never will. I'm a musical (and ballet)-lover through and through. Curious Incident was very nearly an exception to that rule though. It wasn't the greatest thing I have ever seen, and it certainly got boring on occasion, but overall, I really enjoyed this show.
The definite highlight of Curious Incident was the visual and sound design. It engages you right from the very start. The first lighting and sound effect makes you feel immediately and deeply uncomfortable in your surroundings; later, I thought that was an interesting insight into what it might feel like to be Christopher, the teenaged boy with Aspergers who is the star of the play. It was very effective, and puts you in the mindset of the play right from the start. The set itself is stunning. It's a massive chalkboard on three sides with grids and words written all over. Sometimes it's used as a chalkboard for Christopher, other times projections of his thought processes, and other times nonsensical words or numbers that contribute to the aesthetic of the show. I really can't properly describe how breathtaking this was. The lighting and sound were also astounding; they effectively engaged you so thoroughly in the story. There were a lot of effects, but they didn't feel overdone or unnecessary.
Graham Butler starred as Christopher, a 15-year-old boy who has Aspergers syndrome. Christopher is a brilliant mathematician who struggles with basic social interaction and behaviour. Butler did an incredible job of bringing this character to life. He didn't exactly look the part (certainly didn't look 15 facially, and those abs - insert drooling here - looked very out of place). But he was an incredible actor and created a believable - if not likeable or relatable - character that the audience could sympathise with, despite his often irritating or befuddling behaviour. Butler handled difficult blocking/choreography and a very physical role without missing a beat; he had as much energy at the end of the show as he did at the beginning. Many actors look a bit dead by curtain call; not so with Butler. His overall performance was outstanding, and a highlight of this show.
The other actors (Sarah Woodward as Chrisopher's therapist Siobhan, Nicholas Tennant as Christopher's father Ed, and Emily Joyce as Christopher's mother Judy, along with a talented ensemble who played a variety of different parts - including furniture at points) did a wonderful job. Each character had a deep, real feeling to it. The ensemble was very well rehearsed and I cannot believe how intricate the choreography was. They did an excellent job.
Another highlight of mine was the animals in the show. I don't really like Rats (they don't like me either. I'm looking at you, Salt and Pepper of WHIMZ), but I love animals in general and it was nice to see how Christopher interacted with his beloved pet (especially when he wanted to take it to space with him). Also, there was a puppy in the show! An adorable little golden retriever puppy, who, when he was removed from his box, elicited a large "AWWWWWW!" from every single female member of the audience. And as he licked faces, yawned, and lay down instead of walking around as he was supposed to, more "awwwwww!"s resonated through the audience, and didn't cease til he was off stage.
The one thing I didn't like was I felt that at times, a bit of artistic license needs to be taken and Christopher's behaviour needs to be mediated. It was beyond too much at times; it felt like "I get the point, now please move on!" I found myself losing focus and forgetting what was going on during some of these bouts of temper. Most of the time, it was effective and real, but towards the end of the first act, and early second act, it just got irritating. The script could probably tightened up a lot; the first act felt about 10 minutes too long.
Overall, I enjoyed my time at this show. It's an amazing visual and auditory experience solidified with strong performances by the actors (both human and animal) involved. I highly recommend this to someone who, like me, likes the big spectacle of a musical.
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time is currently playing at the Gielgud Theatre. Visit www.CuriousOnStage.com for tickets.
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