It’s
been ten years since Mark Haddon’s book of the same name had it’s first stage
debut at London's Royal National Theatre. Since then, like it’s main character Christopher Boone, a fifteen-year-old boy who finds people difficult - so difficult in fact that he’s never left
the cul-de-sac he lives on unaccompanied, until one shocking night that leads
him on a long journey to uncover the truth; the play has also travelled all
over, from West End to Broadway, Australia to Mexico. The play has also proved to be popular with
schools and a must-read book for English classes, often followed by a trip to
see Haddon's masterpiece on stage.
I first saw 'Curious Incident' in London's Apollo Theatre in 2013, and have since seen it on tour no less than eight times at last count. It’s a piece that has such a magical yet simplistic stage set, from boxes that have a variety of uses to the clever digital screen which mirrors Christopher’s doodles as he tries to unravel the truth surrounding Mrs. Shears' tragic death of beloved pet dog Wellington, and the small ensemble playing a variety of different characters along Christopher's journey.
The play stays true to the book, (perhaps more like an animated version of the book), and has won 7 Olivier Awards in 2013, including Best New Play. The story has four main characters: Christopher, Siobhan (Christopher's school tutor), and Christopher’s parents. It is told from the point of view of neuro-diverse Christopher who sees the world differently from the average person. Whilst the book or play don’t specifically mention autism or Aspergers, it is suggested that Christopher has a similar diagnosis. He doesn’t like to be touched, even by his own parents, he cannot tell lies, doesn’t like colours such as brown or yellow, and has a mathematical knowledge well above his peers', even taking his A-level maths at the age of 15. His dad, a single parent raising Christopher at their Swindon home tries his best with his son, but often struggles to understand and support him. It’s school tutor Siobhan (Rebecca Root) who shows the most empathy and understanding towards Christopher. Siobhan has taught Christopher various coping mechanisms for when he finds himself getting worked up in stressful situations such as exams, she’s the only person who Christopher truly trusts and feels safe with. She’s the only person who can keep him focused to achieve his full potential.
I don’t know if it’s because I’ve seen the play so many times but I now feel there’s no element of surprise. No real changes to the set (as beautiful as the simplistic set is) but it feels like a lot of the beauty of seeing it for the first time has gone out of the window, instead I notice more the silent moments throughout the show, moments where it’s so quiet you could hear a pin drop - but these silences feel awkward and uncomfortable and you get the sense of unease from the audience. There’s so many moments where the production feels slow and monotonous and you’re waiting and willing for a “wow” moment that rarely comes. Don’t get me wrong, the cast do a cracking job but it’s hard to feel any empathy or warmth towards Christopher’s parents - not sure if this intentional or not (with it being told from the perspective of a teenager unable to feel empathy), but the only characters the audience seemed to warm to are Christopher (of course; today played by David Breeds), and tutor Siobhan (Rebecca Root). Root in particular I found I instantly warmed to. The only character to speak in a clear, smooth and even tone, her voice was the calm amongst the storm of Christopher's otherwise loud and in-your-face world. One thing I’ve always found interesting with the stage set is how I find myself wanting to close my eyes and cover my ears as sounds get louder as the bold garish visuals from the London Underground signs to mathematical equations fill the huge digital screens. I feel this is exactly what the set designers were hoping to achieve - to really submerge the audience into Christopher's world.
The role of Christopher's mother Judy is also a shared role on this tour (with two actors sharing the lead role - David Breeds and Connor Curren); Kate Kordel and Sophie Stone - who was tonight’s Judy. Stone was the first deaf student to win a place at RADA. I love seeing diversity and inclusion in theatre - it’s something that has been a long time coming but I am seeing it more often in big productions and it’s so encouraging to see, highlighting that everyone should have equal opportunities to perform. Stone certainly didn’t disappoint in this performance, really captivating the audience as she spoke the role with the occasional sign language added in. Stone's education at Mary Hare Grammar School for the Deaf - a school that use oral communication as opposed to BSL (British Sign Language) where pupils thrive on learning to use their voice - “the language of the outside world”, has definitely been beneficial to Stone's already thriving acting career. Stone and Root were definitely the most stand-out performers of this production.
Having worked with children ranging from autistic to ADHD myself, David Breeds gave a strong believable performance as Christopher. Everything from avoiding eye contact with others to the fidgeting hands and appearing far younger than Christopher’s fifteen years, his performance was ovation worthy, supported by an equally outstanding ensemble who took on several different speaking roles, along with literally carrying Christopher along his travels to learn the truth.
If
you’ve read and enjoyed the book then seeing it on stage is simply a must. This is a story that’s here for the long
haul. Schools will still be reading the
book/seeing the stage version for decades to come, but having seen the stage
version some several times and having read the book at least once, this is one
for now, that I’m going to be popping back on the shelf for some time.
Reviewer - Lottie Davis-Browne
on - 15.2.22
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