Living in London, I
know that I’m spoilt for choice when it comes to arts and culture. Dozens of
incredible museums on my doorstep, beautiful architecture, hundreds of
galleries and world-class theatre and ballet productions among many other fun
ways to spend a few hours. I try to make the most of it and going to the
theatre is one of my favourite treats. I have to say, I’ve never been
disappointed by a theatre production I’ve seen in the West End. My favourites
are The Lion King and Wicked – I’ve seen both twice – but I really enjoyed
Singing In The Rain and The Twits recently too.
Last Tuesday, I went to see The Curious Incident of
the Dog at Night-Time and was utterly blown away. Admittedly I haven’t read the
award-winning novel by Mark Haddon, but I think a great adaptation should stand
up on its own whether you’ve read the book or not. Intense, touching and
humorous, the show really struck a chord – so much so that I’ve just ordered
the novel.
For those who haven’t
read the book, the story’s centers around a teenage boy with Asperger’s
Syndrome. The play opens dramatically with the protagonist, Christopher Boone,
wailing and moaning dramatically while standing over the body of his
neighbour’s dog, which has been brutally killed. The unfolding story follows
Christopher as he attempts to solve the mystery of who killed Mrs Shears’ dog
Wellington. This follows the same premise as the book, although the play is
narrated by Christopher’s endearing teacher at his special needs school.
Christopher overcomes various obstacles; from never venturing further than the
end of the street to hating physical contact and having difficulty
communicating with strangers.
While the story
sensitively and sympathetically sheds light on the reality of living with
Asperger’s Syndrome, actor Luke Treadaway’s portrayal of Christopher really
brings the character to life. Luke’s performance is astounding; from his
mannerisms and body language to his facial expressions and tone of voice, I
reallybelievedhe was Christopher Boone. His
portrayal is humorous and heartbreaking at the same time; subtle touches like
his twitchy nervousness, astute observations, brilliant maths mind quiet
curiosity and painful awkwardness really add depth to his character.
Most of the shows I
have seen are naturally theatrical and the characters are clearly playing a
role, whereas every character in The Curious Incident feels so real. Each
character really holds their own andistheir character, whether they are
playing the part of a character or a ‘prop’. One of the stand out scenes for me
was when Christopher found himself travelling to London to find his mum on the
train and underground. The tight cast somehow conveyed a bustling train station
and overcrowded underground perfectly while Luke drew the audience in and the
audiencefeltChristopher’s discomfort and panic.
The
Curious Incident of the Dog at Night-time was absolutely brilliant, I’ve been
talking about it non-stop since I saw the show and can’t wait to devour the
book once it arrives. All of the actors play their parts brilliantly,
particularly Christopher’s weary dad and his warm-hearted teacher though Luke
Treadaway is the undeniable star of the show. It’s unsurprising that the show
has won an impressive 13 Olivier awards to date. The show is on at the Gielgud
Theatre at the West End until 14thFebruary
2016, you can read more about the show and book ticketshere.
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