Review: THE CURIOUS INCIDENT OF THE DOG IN THE NIGHT-TIME National Tour at Durham Performing Arts Center

Based on Mark Haddon's 2003 mystery novel of the same name, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time follows Christopher Boone, a fifteen-year-old boy with an extraordinary brain, yet has trouble with communications. When he falls under suspicion of killing his neighbor's dog, he sets out to solve the mystery.

After having its world premiere at the Royal National Theatre in London on August 2nd, 2012, the stage adaptation moved to the West End on March 12th, 2013. It went on to win 7 Olivier Awards (including Best New Play). Curious Incident then made its way across the pond to Broadway on October 5th, 2014, where it went on to win 5 Tony Awards (including Best Play). That production ended its run on September 4th, 2016 after 800 performances, making it Broadway's longest-running straight play.

From the very beginning of the play, we the audience feel almost as if we're shot right out of a cannon. Director Marianne Elliott very inventively stages the play by having a hard-working ensemble help move the story along inside of Bunny Christie's well constructed cubed set. The movement by choreographers Scott Graham & Steven Hoggett (who actually made Curious Incident the first play to have been Tony nominated for Best Choreography since Dancing at Lughnasa back in 1992) is also very precise. Aided with the help of Finn Ross' dazzling video projections and Paule Constable's impressive use of lighting, they successfully bring us inside the mind of Christopher Boone. This is a production that overall manages to be both intimate and larger than life at the same time.

Leading the company is Adam Langdon, who gives a remarkable performance as Christopher Boone. He perfectly captures the genius of the character as well as the struggles he goes through. Other highlights of the cast include Maria Elena Ramirez as Christopher's primary school teacher and mentor, Siobhan; Gene Gillette as Christopher's single father, Ed; and Felicity Jones Latta as Christopher's mother Judy.

If you're someone who usually goes to see musicals, you should definitely give Curious Incident a shot. It's a very profound play by Simon Stephens that's equally matched by a terrific cast and some incredible stage craft. The national tour is currently playing at Durham Performing Arts Center through February 26th.

For more information regarding the tour, please visit:
http://curiousonbroadway.com/

 

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