The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time - Apollo Theatre

Curious Incident of the Dog poster

*I wrote this review yesterday and was shocked to hear this morning about the ceiling collapse at the theatre that occurred yesterday evening. I hope everyone injured recovers quickly and that the show resumes as soon as possible!*

This theatre trip was a birthday surprise! I didn't know what we were going to see until we walked into the Apollo. I hadn't read the book but I knew it was about a teenage boy with Asperger Syndrome, who tries to solve the mystery of who killed his neighbour's dog after discovering its speared corpse. 

The boy, Christopher Boone, is a mathematical genius who loves train sets and star-gazing, and dreams of being an astronaut on a spaceship in which he can live and work separately from other people. He is very literal, dislikes most forms of physical contact, and finds it difficult to fathom peoples' behaviour.

The production was fast-paced and energetic, alternating swiftly between humour and pathos. The supporting cast members were on stage nearly all the time, sitting on white boxes that represented a number of items throughout the play (e.g. microwaves, computers, suitcases), when they weren't in a scene. I think Christopher (Mike Noble) was in every scene, which made it a pretty intense role, especially given the length of the play (2.5 hours not including interval). There were several twists in the plot, none of which I had anticipated.

The set was an intriguing mathematical grid covering both the stage and the three walls. I loved the use of lighting in this play. The opening was dramatic; from pitch darkness, a spotlight suddenly illuminated Christopher examining Wellington, the dead dog, then the light went out again, and when it came sharply on again you saw Christopher in a different position, before the light was extinguished again, and then it came on for a third time. It happened later on in the play, too. No, I don't know the technical term for this effect. One of my favourite parts was the end of the first act, when the elaborate miniature railway that Christopher had been building during his sessions with Siobhan started working independently - the train began moving along the track and the lights in the toy houses came on. It was quite wonderful.

People on the autism spectrum are often portrayed as cold and unfeeling and difficult for 'ordinary' people to relate to. The character of Christopher was easy to relate to, and I enjoyed the concern that he showed for his pet rat, and the adorable new puppy. His different relationships with his parents were plausible. The characters of the parents were properly fleshed out; they weren't simply ciphers. I liked the character of Siobhan, Christopher's teacher, and his respect for her and her teaching. It is Siobhan's voice that Christopher hears in his head when he is panicking over what to do next.

I preferred the second act to the first. The scenes in which Christopher tries to navigate the London underground were my favourites. They were humourous and it was interesting to see the tube - something I use almost every day - through the eyes of someone with autism. I  find it pretty stressful myself, so I can sympathise with Christopher's panic.

This was the third play in a row that I have seen that used animal actors! I am including the Doll's House baby in this count. I definitely recommend this play.

Next: I'm seeing this at the weekend