‘The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time’ leaves audiences moved to laughter and tears

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time
When: September 17 – October 9
Where: Citadel Theatre
Book written by: Mark Haddon
Adaptation by: Simon Stephens
Directed by: Heidi Malazdrewich
Tickets: Starting at $30

At the Citadel last Tuesday night, elderly women in their Sunday best, die-hard theatre-goers, and those hip kids from my Philosophy class all came together and shared the experience of being a 15-year-old autistic boy for two hours. That’s the beauty of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time. It’s impossible not to feel a connection with the actors, as well as your fellow audience members, while watching young Christopher Boone navigate busy London streets, ace his A-level exams, and grapple with the complexities of his family life.

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time is Simon Stephens’ adaptation of Mark Haddon’s internationally renowned novel of the same name, and runs until October 9^th at the Citadel Theatre. The story centres around Christopher Boone, a 15-year-old math genius and amateur detective who, although it is never explicitly stated, is somewhere on the autism spectrum. Haddon has been careful to point out, however, that this isn’t a story about autism; it is a story about otherness, loneliness, and being different.

Though every intricacy of a novel can’t be captured onstage, this adaptation preserves its heart — namely, Christopher himself. Edmund Stapleton plays Christopher with sensitivity, honesty, and a good sense of humour. Much of the first act, however, is narrated by a secondary character — Christopher’s teacher Siobhan — as she reads from his journal. Hearing Christopher’s voice from someone other than Christopher himself was distracting, and at the intermission I was worried that the whole play would be a live voiceover from Siobhan. Instead, the second act shifts to Christopher telling his own story.

Playing Christopher comes with the challenge of realistically and thoughtfully portraying an autistic boy, which Stapleton does so heartbreakingly well. His performance alone demands a variety of reactions from audiences. I could hear the woman next to me choking on a sob each time Christopher curled up and hid from the world. And the whole audience was roaring with laughter when Christopher explained how human behaviour confused him: “raising one eyebrow could mean they want to do the sex, or not.”

Perhaps the most powerful scenes were those in which Christopher becomes overwhelmed by his surroundings. In the opening scene, all the actors tapped their hands on their thighs as a peripheral depiction of Christopher’s anxiety. This support from the ensemble, and the use of projection and sound help to build the tension along with Stapleton’s performance makes these moments truly memorable. 

The depth of the characters really stands out. Mrs. Boone is caring, independent, yet a little reckless. Despite his temper, Mr. Boone is loving. Every fictional character becomes a real human being with histories and dreams and skeletons in their closets — although Christopher, who has no patience for metaphors, would probably say otherwise.

Whether you’re there because you loved the book, because your Drama-major friend dragged you there, or because you heard that there’s a tiny, beautiful Golden Retriever puppy onstage (yes, there is), The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time will not disappoint you. From the lively introduction by the newly christened Artistic Director of the Citadel Daryl Cloran, to the Pythagorean theorem demonstration done with the use of strobe lights and confetti after the curtain call, I was moved to both laughter and tears.