The Questors Theatre production of Simon Stephens’s play The Curious Dog in the Night-Time places Rory Hobson (a beautifully judged performance) centre-stage as Christopher Boone, a neurodiverse teenager who is a maths whizz and computer geek. His natural curiosity starts with the murder of a neighbour’s dog, Wellington – no spoiler, as said dog is the main focus as we file into the main auditorium.
If you saw the West End production, you will remember the high-tech video design on the floor and walls, and here, video designer Leon Chambers offers a Tetris game, number counting, and spaces, including a train station and tube platform to place us in Christopher’s world. This design also plays a big part in the ‘surprise’ at the end (don’t rush away at the curtain call).
It’s a production that allows most of the actors to play many roles within the narrative. Simon Higginson (the Reverend, Station Policeman and Uncle Terry) seems to particularly relish the challenge, while Mary Davies shines as Mrs Alexander, who kindly dispenses orange squash and gossip.
In the main roles aside from Christopher, Claire Durrant is good as Siobhan, the teacher and narrator. Andrew Miller captures the sense of a single dad who struggles to connect with his child, and Holly Gillanders is the epitome of regret. James Rushbrooke dispels all memories of the most recent Questors panto (where he and Hobsnn were the ugly sisters) with a very different antagonistic role.
Roger Beaumont‘s direction is imaginative and sharp, especially when depicting the crowded stations and unfriendly streets of London. He also co-designed the set with Chambers to ground the video design in a world where secrets are hidden beneath our feet and boxes suggest different types of furniture and settings.
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time started life as a novel by Mark Haddon, before being adapted for the National Theatre stage in 2012. It remains a major player within texts about “being different” and “fitting in”, and is both witty and poignant. The Questors have done themselves proud again with a sensitive and strong production.
I’m giving this four stars.
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time is at the Questors Playhouse until 28 Mar – tickets here.
Photo credit: Robert Vass