The Curious Incident Of The Dog In The Night Time, is a play based on the book by the same name written by Mark Haddon. The play, like the book is about a fifteen-year-old boy named Christopher Boone, who has Asperger’s Syndrome, who discovers that his neighbour’s dog has been murdered. In his quest to find out just who was responsible for the deed, Christopher and the audience embark on a journey that is at times, funny, heart wrenching and downright emotional and inspiring.
Scott Reid makes an excellent Christopher Boone, conveying the young man’s passion for maths and science with such passion that the audience could truly believe that he was Christopher and not just playing a role. As Christopher comes to learn more about what happened to his neighbour’s dog and the reasons behind it, Mr Reid showcases his ability to showcase a variety of emotions with various facial expressions that truly hooked me as a member of the audience into the play, and made me truly root for Christopher.
Mr Reid is ably supported by Lucianne McEvoy who plays Siobhan, Christopher’s teacher at school, David Michaels who plays Ed, Christopher’s father and Emma Beattie who plays Judy, Christopher’s mother. All three cast members bring with them an assortment of emotions and sheer hope for Christopher alongside their own hopes and wants inside the play, that in my mind really helps build up the play and expand the world that it is set in. Bringing to life characters who might otherwise have been overlooked and ensuring that they were given their due.
During the course of the two hours, the audience were treated to a variety of twists and turns that elicited laughs, cheers, gasps and in some cases tears. That the Curious Incident really hit home was shown by the standing ovation the cast members got just as the play was winding up. Never before have I seen such enthusiasm and joy from an audience before, and never before has it been so well deserved. The Curious Incident really took the audience on a roller coaster journey and did it in a way that made you feel as if you, yourself were Christopher, thus giving you an added incentive to see him succeed.
The Curious Incident Of The Dog In The Night Time, is a brilliant, thought provoking play, that brings with it a bundle of emotions that really make you as an audience member stop and think. It brings a chance for reflection and a chance to see a part of yourself reflected in young Christopher, and unlike other plays where such a thing might be seen as indulgent, here it really adds to the play. If you get the opportunity, go and see it at the Birmingham Hippodrome, the show runs until Saturday 8th July.
