Bestselling
Novel Comes to Stage in Full Sensory Experience
By Lauren Yarger
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the
Night-Time proves once again why Britain’s National Theatre is one of
Broadway’s hottest tickets.
The production of Mark Haddon’s
best-selling novel into a stage production was no easy feat. Any adaptation of
a work that has such a loyal following is difficult in itself. Will the show
live up to expectations? Will it include all of the parts enjoyed by fans? This
book’s concept offered even greater challenges since most of it takes place in
the mind of an autistic boy.
For this production of Curious, Director Marianne Elliott (who won the Tony for the excellent War Horse) and Scenic and Costume Designer Bunny Christie (who has three Oliviers) don’t disappoint. They depict every sensation, every thought honed with mathematical precision, every emotion that takes flight to produce an immersive experience quite unlike anything we have seen on a Broadway stage.
Recent Julliard graduate Alexander Sharp makes a smashing Broadway debut as Christopher, a 15-year –old who is exceptional at math, but ill-equipped to interpret everyday life. When the police suspect him of killing a dog belonging to his neighbor, Mrs. Shears (Mercedes Herrero), he initiates his own investigation into the incident and records his observations in a book he is writing to solve the murder. His special-ed teacher Siobhan (Francesca Faridany) reads to us from it and later convinces Christopher to turn it into a play. By using this technique, script writer Simon Stephens keeps the idea of the first-person narrative from the novel.
The boy’s father, Ed (Ian Barford), who has been raising Christopher alone, is very much opposed to the investigation, however, especially when helpful neighbor Mrs. Alexander (Helen Carey) provides some disturbing information about Christopher’s mother, Judy (Enid Graham).
Christopher continues, however, making a map (projected onto screens and the stage) and setting out on a voyage that has him walking down walls, flying through space and ending up at the truth.
The story is engaging (if a bit drawn-out at two and a half hours) thanks to Elliot’s excellent direction. Actors not involved in the action take seats around the stage, leaning in when the story gets interesting. The real triumph here is Christie’s visual communication of Christopher’s thought process.
“I see everything,” he says, and we see everything he sees. Concepts become projected mathematical equations (designed by Finn Ross with lighting by Paule Constable); heightened emotions and thoughts jumbling at too-fast a rate manifest in a crash of music and sound (designed by Adrian Sutton and Ian Dickinson for Autograph, respectively).
This full sensory experience becomes one giant piece of breath-taking choreography (movement by Scott Graham and Steven Hoggett for Frantic Assembly) that involves the audience in emotional ways and takes Broadway stage production to a new level. At the end of the performance, the audience gave a collective “hmmmm” then burst into applause. Now that’s theater that makes you think.
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time transferred to London’s West End (where it still runs), following a sold-out run at the National’s Cottesloe Theatre in 2012. The production received seven Olivier including Best New Play. Look for it at the 2015 Tonys….
Curious? Catch it at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre, 243 West 47th St., NYC, Performances: Tuesday and Thursday at 7 pm; Wednesday, Friday and Saturday at 8 pm; Wednesday and Saturday at 2 pm; Sunday at 3 pm; Tickets $27 - $129: http://curiousonbroadway.com.
Recent Julliard graduate Alexander Sharp makes a smashing Broadway debut as Christopher, a 15-year –old who is exceptional at math, but ill-equipped to interpret everyday life. When the police suspect him of killing a dog belonging to his neighbor, Mrs. Shears (Mercedes Herrero), he initiates his own investigation into the incident and records his observations in a book he is writing to solve the murder. His special-ed teacher Siobhan (Francesca Faridany) reads to us from it and later convinces Christopher to turn it into a play. By using this technique, script writer Simon Stephens keeps the idea of the first-person narrative from the novel.
The boy’s father, Ed (Ian Barford), who has been raising Christopher alone, is very much opposed to the investigation, however, especially when helpful neighbor Mrs. Alexander (Helen Carey) provides some disturbing information about Christopher’s mother, Judy (Enid Graham).
Christopher continues, however, making a map (projected onto screens and the stage) and setting out on a voyage that has him walking down walls, flying through space and ending up at the truth.
The story is engaging (if a bit drawn-out at two and a half hours) thanks to Elliot’s excellent direction. Actors not involved in the action take seats around the stage, leaning in when the story gets interesting. The real triumph here is Christie’s visual communication of Christopher’s thought process.
“I see everything,” he says, and we see everything he sees. Concepts become projected mathematical equations (designed by Finn Ross with lighting by Paule Constable); heightened emotions and thoughts jumbling at too-fast a rate manifest in a crash of music and sound (designed by Adrian Sutton and Ian Dickinson for Autograph, respectively).
This full sensory experience becomes one giant piece of breath-taking choreography (movement by Scott Graham and Steven Hoggett for Frantic Assembly) that involves the audience in emotional ways and takes Broadway stage production to a new level. At the end of the performance, the audience gave a collective “hmmmm” then burst into applause. Now that’s theater that makes you think.
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time transferred to London’s West End (where it still runs), following a sold-out run at the National’s Cottesloe Theatre in 2012. The production received seven Olivier including Best New Play. Look for it at the 2015 Tonys….
Curious? Catch it at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre, 243 West 47th St., NYC, Performances: Tuesday and Thursday at 7 pm; Wednesday, Friday and Saturday at 8 pm; Wednesday and Saturday at 2 pm; Sunday at 3 pm; Tickets $27 - $129: http://curiousonbroadway.com.
Christians might also like to know:
-- God's name taken in vain
-- Language
-- Adultery
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