The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time
A truly excellent production
In 2003, Mark Haddon bridged the very rickety bridge between adult and young adult literature beautifully with his critically acclaimed novel The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time. In a work which appeals to teens and adults alike, the story is that of 15 year old (and three months, and two days) Christopher Boone, and how he comes to solve the titular mystery. The case is chronicled in a book by Christopher, and the book becomes the play we are watching (a book in a book, a play in a play. Play-ception).
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time was once described by its writer, Mark Haddon, as ‘unadaptable’, makes for a frankly fantastic adaptation. It is a testament to Mark Haddon’s original work, Simon Stephens’ play, and Marianne Elliott’s directing as to just how brilliant the staging of this piece of theatre is. Maintaining the humour, the humanity, and the sheer genius of the novel is no mean feat.
From its Kafka-esque method of portraying Christopher’s stress and anxiety, to the simple lights used to create the London underground, houses on Christopher’s road, and a plethora of other settings, this is a truly excellent production and everyone involved deserves a huge amount of credit.
A superb cast, a clever set, and slick use of sound and visual effects makes this one of the best plays I have seen. Well bloody done.
