Gotta
love National Theatre Live. What a
terrific way to see fantastic plays! I
need to watch out – if I’m not careful, I might start to resent any London
productions that don’t get recorded
for cinema screenings! Anyway, this time
around, it’s a dramatized version of Mark Haddon’s famous novel.
Going
in, I was curious as to how they’d pull it off. It's a very internal book, with so much of it living
in Christopher’s precisely-detailed thoughts.
Granted, that sort of thing is easier to do onstage than in a movie, but
it still presents an important challenge.
Any concerns, though, were quickly allayed. This play incorporates Christopher’s thoughts
and observations in creatively functional ways, while also wonderfully
depicting the sensory chaos of a neurotypical world from the perspective of
someone with autism.
One
thing I like about The Curious Incident
of the Dog in the Night-Time is that, though Christopher’s autism makes up
an unmistakable aspect of his character, it isn’t the plot in and of
itself. Rather, the story is about his
investigation into the death of his neighbor’s dog, as well as his
relationships with his parents. Christopher’s
investigation sends him into unfamiliar territory, forcing him to change and
adapt. It also causes additional
friction between him and his father and uncovers secrets that have been kept
from him. It’s a story about learning to
venture out, learning to forgive, and learning to trust. I really appreciate that.
That
being said, the production is very autism-savvy. The acting, direction, sound, lighting, and
set all work together to help neurotypical people see the world through
Christopher’s eyes. When he’s in
overwhelming situations, disorienting dubstep music assaults the senses, the
ensemble is a source of constant noise, motion, and intrusive touching (they
grab, push, and lift him at will,) and a barrage of lights and words flash
across the otherwise-minimalist stage. There’s
information- and sensory-overload everywhere.
As I
said, a decent chunk of Christopher’s narration from the book is brought to the
play. Sometimes, he delivers the
monologues himself, but more often, they’re read aloud (from the book he’s
writing) by his teacher, who’s almost ever-present onstage. It’s a nice device, since it keeps
Christopher in the action, and it’s interesting, since many of the lines sound
stiff and technical as he wrote them, but his teacher reads them with warmth
and feeling. It helps the show get at
the feelings Christopher of course has but has difficulty articulating or
expressing in socially-conventional ways.
The
acting is excellent across the board.
Luke Treadaway ably handles the physical and emotional demands of
playing Christopher, and Paul Ritter does a fine job as his father, a man who’s
half-drowning in his struggles, who frequently gets it wrong but who’s trying
desperately. Additionally, Sherlock fans will recognize Una Stubbs
(Mrs. Hudson) as Christopher’s neighbor.
Warnings
Thematic
elements, some strong language, sexual references, and drinking.
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