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Michael Cox reviews 'an extraordinary theatrical event'.
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time was in itself a curious runaway hit over a decade back. Its hero, Christopher Boone, a teenager with Aspergers who has a love for logic and prime numbers, tries to figure out who murdered a neighbour’s dog but ends up taking a far more difficult and personal journey. It's a very literary story that unfolded well on the page.
So, perhaps even more curious is the fact that the National Theatre’s theatrical adaptation just might be a richer experience. Playwright Simon Stephens has done an admirable job adapting the book, and director Marianne Elliot has created a full-bodied production with complicated staging and impressive design aspects. Lights whirl, numbers dance and a company of actors play multiple roles and execute integrate choreographed movements.
It all looks rather impressive, and yet the production is at its best in the quiet moments, primarily when Christopher is forced to communicate with the adults in his life. A slight touch of the hand between father and son says as much here as a large company of actors whizzing around the stage in a dramatic illustration of travel by London Underground, and a mother’s laugh packs as much emotional punch as a large model train coming to life.
Many touring productions make it to Scotland with a ridiculous amount of baggage, meaning that very little lives up to the hype that the London press had harped. This is not the case here. Technically savvy yet with a humane beating heart, Curious Incident is an extraordinary theatrical event that should not be missed.
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time is at the Edinburgh Festival Theatre until May 9 before continuing its tour, which includes later Scottish stops.
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