The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time at The Bristol Hippodrome
Posted on: 2017-06-15
Our rating:
Absolutely spellbinding! That is the only way to describe Simon Stephens’ breath-taking play based on Mark Haddon’s bestselling novel, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time.
Running at The Bristol Hippodrome until 17th June, this funny, moving, dazzling and thought-provoking work of theatrical brilliance is a delight to watch from start to finish.
The play is set in Swindon and London, and is the coming of age story of 15 year old Christopher. A mathematical genius with Asperger's Syndrome, Christopher is ill-equipped to deal with the demands of everyday life. One night he finds his neighbour’s dog, Wellington speared to death by a garden fork and this curious incident leads the modern day Sherlock Holmes on a quest to uncover the secret of the killer, and ultimately solves a mystery of his own.
Told from the perspective of Christopher, with his social ineptitude, obsessive behaviours and unique take on modern life every tiny step along the way becomes a huge adventure.
Marianne Elliott’s production is performed on a visually stunning set which utilises technology to the utmost to bring Christopher’s world to life in glorious detail. Lighting, sound and image projection are used to impressive effect to move the action from Christopher’s bedroom to the train station to London and home again, so effortlessly that the audience is drawn in and gains a very real insight into the characters reality. The technical elements pull together to assault the audience with noise and image, a sensory overload that represents the overwhelming onslaught of data experienced by those on the autistic spectrum.
This triumph of creativity sees the technical effects coupled with some impressive movement direction by Scott Graham and Steven Hoggett. This is a visually dynamic production that sees the human body manipulated and contorted to show the cast working as one to bring Christopher’s tale to physical life.
Scott Reid as Christopher is on stage for virtually all the time, and he is incredible. He gives a mesmerising performance, showing Christopher’s naivety and his fight to understand a world that is in so many ways outside his comprehension.
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As his parents David Michaels and Emma Beattie are excellent; both conveying the underlying love they have for a son who challenges them and their perceptions on a daily basis. Michaels in particular, as Christopher’s father, Ed manages to convey the heart-breaking loneliness and frustration of a parent having to deal with a child who is emotionally isolated, unerringly honest and unable to bear physical contact.
Playing the part of Christopher’s teacher and ally Siobhan, Lucianne McEvoy gives a characteristically strong performance. She brings sensitivity and calm to the role amidst a world of chaos unravelling around her, keeping the audience grounded and the story flowing.
The audience were enthralled throughout, caught up in the exhilarating narrative as it unfolded before them. The cast certainly are magnificent and well deserved the deafening applause and cheers, and the standing ovation for the lead at curtain call.
Though sad at times, this play is also full of humour and warmth as it leads the audience to question their own ideas time and again. The most amazing production I have seen this year, Curious Incident is a truly extraordinary piece of uplifting and inspiring theatre, a sensational production that must be seen.
5/5
Article by:
Sarah-Jane is an aficionado of film, theatre, culture and the arts. A voracious reader and avid crafter, she can be found volunteering her face painting talents at Bristol Zoo when she's not cementing her reputation as Coalpit Heath’s cake maker extraordinaire. Known to have an opinion on everything she’s never happier than when sharing these with the good folk of Bristol!
