The Curious Incident of the Dog in the NightTime

[Frankly Rich]

Today I was able to see a telecast of this powerful play on National Theatre Live. It was an encore performance from 2012. The play is staged with no sets, and the majority of the play revolves around Christopher, a fifteen year old boy who discovers his neighbor's dog dead one night. This leads him to investigate, and he finds much more than he bargained for in the process.

 

Lyn Gardner of the Guardian reviews the show: Simon Stephens' clever adaptation of Mark Haddon's bestselling novel about a teenage boy with Asperger's syndrome is like a cute dog that leaps up and wants to lick you all over. There's no point in resisting – and there's no need. Marianne Elliott's production runs with Stephens' conceit that what we are watching is a school play based on Christopher's own book, and transforms it into a hugely entertaining meditation on the nature of truth and how we present ourselves to each other.

 

"Is acting a lie?" asks 15-year-old Christopher, whose autism means he can only ever tell the truth, and who is determined to discover who was responsible for murdering the neighbour's dog. In the process, this aspiring Sherlock Holmes and maths prodigy uncovers some uncomfortable truths about his family and the way adults lie to children and to each other.

 

 

The Curious Incident is coming to Broadway, with previews starting on September 10th at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre. My guess is that it will do well. I know that I liked it.

[Frankly Rich]

I hope that the Broadway production has better luck than the Apollo Theater production in London. During a show there, a part of the ceiling collapsed onto the audience, injuring 88 people. The show is transferring to the Gielgud in late June. No one from the London cast is in the New York cast.

[foxy]

I remember reading the book and thinking it was wonderful. I had no idea it had been turned into a play. I look forward to seeing it. Thanks for the heads up.

[+ Cash4Trash]

Saw the National Theater Live presentation last evening and was blown away. See it if at all possible.

[Frankly Rich]

With the show set to start previews in New York, the NY Times focuses on its current star, Alex Sharp, who, for some reason, leaves me cold. The National Theater Live show starred the original actor, Luke Treadaway, who won awards for his performance. The character they play is supposed to be 15 years old.

 

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/09/07/theater/fall-arts-preview-alex-sharp-stars-in-the-curious-incident-of-the-dog.html?hpw&rref=theater&action=click&pgtype=Homepage&version=HpHedThumbWell&module=well-region&region=bottom-well&WT.nav=bottom-well

 

Luke Treadaway

http://d2z302fz6vkyr7.cloudfront.net/images/people/TREADAWAY%20LUKE%20Simon%20Harris.jpg

 

Alex Sharp

http://static01.nyt.com/images/2014/09/03/multimedia/alexander-sharpe/alexander-sharpe-videoSixteenByNine540.jpg

[foxy]

Saw this play last night and really enjoyed it. I thought Alex Sharp was wonderful as the young boy Christopher. The rest of the cast was fine. I think it helped that I had read the book several years ago and since I have a family member with autism the subject may interest me more than most. However the theater was full last night and the audience really showed a lot of enthusiasm in it's applause so I think it will do well at the box office. The second act did drag a bit for me but obviously the playwright wanted to get the entire book onstage. What is particularly wonderful I thought was the staging which is mostly done with lights and projections. Its quite dazzling at times and for me was not just a gimmick. It helped clarify visually how the mind of an autistic person thinks and reacts to the world. There is a surprise ending that takes place after the applause and curtain calls so I'd recommend staying in your seat a bit longer to see it.

[Cooper]

Review

 

I'll echo foxy's praises for this amazing play. It's a very easy show to follow whether or not you've read this best selling novel. What impressed me the most was the outstanding performance of actor Alex Sharp, a 2014 graduate of Juilliard, in the lead role as Christopher Boone. He's on stage from beginning to end and has a boat load of lines, many of which are mathematical formulas, plus, he's tossed around in many dance type and well choreographed moves. His character reminded me of Dustin Hoffman's role as Rain man. The 1st act moves a lot faster than the 2nd.

 

As foxy mentioned, don't be in a rush to leave the theater after the final curtain call. There's still more to come.

 

Coop

 

http://d3rm69wky8vagu.cloudfront.net/article-photos/large/1.171003.jpg

[foxy]

And he has a cute dog. Awwwww!

[uwsman2]

I saw it this past Tuesday night. There are two actors listed as playing the lead, but I think Sharp is on most evenings. But I believe I saw the alternate, a slightly older actor than Sharp, who was fantastic! And so was the play. You really develop an empathy for somebody with Asperger's Syndrome and for the difficulties his parents have in adjusting to how he takes in the world. It held my attention through a long evening.

[+ beethoven]

I saw this play last night (it opens tomorrow -- Sunday) and loved everything about it. In a word, REMARKABLE! I knew nothing about it, and did not know that it's based on a book that's been translated into 44 languages. Two friends of mine left at intermission -- go figure!! I'm told that this won lots of awards in London, and I'm sure it will win lots of Tonys here; well deserved.

[uwsman2]

My play-going companion and I agreed at the end of the performance Tuesday night that the lead was Tony quality - and then we checked the program and concluded we were seeing the second-billed actor in the lead. So, who knows?

[edjames]

Brillant reviews!

 

I saw the play at the National Theater and enjoyed it very much, however, I just might put it on my list to see this new production.

 

http://nypost.com/2014/10/05/curious-incident-is-the-most-inventive-new-show-on-broadway/

 

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/10/06/theater/the-curious-incident-of-the-dog-in-the-night-time-opens-on-broadway.html?ref=arts&_r=0

[+ Gar1eth]

I know Alex Sharp is the one receiving all the kudos. But I saw the other guy Taylor Trensch whom I thought was very good. I was wondering if anyone had seen both of them and had any opinions on whether one was much better than the other.

 

Gman

[+ Gar1eth]

In Case Anyone Is Interested

 

By the way- The Curious... Facebook page has downloadable pictures of the blue background poster which you can use as a screensaver on your computer or as background/wallpaper for your phone. I downloaded it as my phone wallpaper, and it looks really nice!!

 

Gman