THE CURIOUS INCIDENT OF THE DOG IN THE NIGHT-TIME
I remember crying whilst reading Mark Haddon’s beautiful book when it was first published, not just at the end but repeatedly throughout. I remember crying again when I saw Simon Stephens’ dramatised version. It sounds like I might be easily driven to tears, maybe I am. But this story drives me to tears of sadness, of remorse and eventually tears of pure joy.
This play is an ambitious ask for any company, the London production was amazing, embracing great technology, lighting and graphics. Could a local theatre group pull off anything that would come close? Well the answer is yes. Brighton and Hove Operatic Society, BHOS, have pulled it off with style.
Director, producer and, on reading the programme, all round creative whizz, Andy Stoner has worked wonders with his set and projections. The tech spec is immense, slick and effective, too many productions dabble in tech and for no good reason and little effect, just because you could does not mean you should!
But all this amounts to nothing when put alongside the talent on that stage. From the ensemble, who take on various incidental characters in the often complex story, to the principals. Chris Herriot inhabits the conflicted role of Ed Boone, a man torn apart by anger, guilt and responsibility. Emmie Spencer too displays again that she is a genuine talent, her portrayal of flawed maternal instincts is totally believable as is her eventual remorse. Nikki Dunsford is delightful as concerned neighbour Mrs Alexander, Ellie Mason scarily bitter and angry as Mrs Shears and Louis Craig equally scary as Mr Shears.
The whole is driven forward narratively by Siobhan play with the lightest of touch by Melissa Paris, it’s an assured performance, restrained, delicate and as such a wonderful balance to what is going on in Christopher Boone’s world.
A word too for Ella Palmer, movements director, whose complex direction is so very effective and brought to life by the ensemble with amazing precision.
Christopher is a fifteen year old with autism, actually fifteen years and a very exact number of months and days. This is a story about the reality that autism is a neuro-divergent status that is not a disability. Christopher is an intelligent high achiever, a young man whose grasp of mathematics and sciences is prodigious. This not unusual, many people defined as autistic are high achievers, they just see the world and relate to the world in a different way.
Archie Menzies
Playing the part of Christopher is a gargantuan challenge, capturing the character without making it a cliched caricature requires immense skill combined with a natural talent, a combination that an actor might attain later in life, perhaps when one is rather too old to play a convincing 15 year old.
Enter Archie Menzies, a 17 year old actor whose incredible and instinctive playing brings the role of Christopher lucidly to the stage. This is a remarkable performance, breathtaking in its energy, its reserve, its clarity and… well one could go on and on, larding this young man with praise, he has earned every word. His is a name to watch should he choose to embark on a professional career in theatre.
BHOS in their new theatre and creative hub are at the very top of their game here, and the core of their work is not unlike the heart of this play.
It’s not about what you cannot achieve, it’s about what you can.
The Curious Incident Of The Dog In The Night-time should be seen by all, it is the perfect vehicle to bring true understanding of what autism is.
(and yes, I cried)
Andrew Kay
17 May
The Campbell Studio Theatre
BHOS Community Arts Hub
Rating:
An all important play delivered technically at a level that would match any professional Production and performed by an amazing company. How lucky we are to have all this talent in our area. Carole Todd
I was asked, “do I want to read the book first?” before venturing into the theatrical version. I opted not to, as the unknown would allow an open mind and not subconsciously lend itself to a bias of one or the other – needless to say, the book may not command as much justice as the fantastic performance by all the cast on opening night.
Within the first few seconds, you are drawn into the struggles that Christopher unknowingly faces of every minute of every day, but, supported with the parental view of the struggles they endure, yet, embrace without question their devotion to their child. Not only is it clear to see how the family are patiently able to understand the needs of Christopher, but, how blinkered society can be without the knowledge and awareness of this unique situation.
The play offers a ride of emotions, the smallest of insights into the mind of Christopher, parental struggles, the trauma of anger twinned with the humour of the policeman “being too old”.
What can I say, I am pleased I didn’t read the book first, this has the perfect blend of heart warming, hard, traumatic at times, humorous, adaptation which has you hooked from the very start.
The lead character is a talent beyond his years – fabulous performance and well deserved ovation at the end. However, this is also as a result of the superb cast who made the opening night such a special event and the bond and unity between them was clear to see.
Did I have a tear in my eye at then end, absolutely – unashamedly so……fantastic performance by all…..thank you !