The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time
Rating: 2.5/5
Venue: New Victoria Theatre, Woking

Chris Boone is gifted with a brilliant mind for numbers but unsettled by the unpredictability of people and everyday life. When a neighbour’s dog is discovered killed, she finds herself under suspicion. Determined to prove her innocence, Chris becomes both detective and suspect, drawn into a mystery that grows darker and more complex with every clue she uncovers. What begins as the search for a culprit soon reveals secrets closer to home, forcing her to confront truths that will test her courage, her family, and her understanding of trust, independence, and the wider world.

As someone not overly familiar with The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time having little knowledge of the book, I was intrigued to experience a new show. Lots of my friends have said how gripping and consuming the book is, so I was hoping for a similar experience watching it come to life in this play. 

Unfortunately, it just didn’t grab me in the way I was hoping it would, for reasons I can’t fully pinpoint, but it just left me rather flat. Despite some excellent and sensitively delivered performances by a strong cast, this production never quite landed for me in terms of impact or complexity. 

Mark Haddon’s novel about Christopher Boone, a young boy with autism who is trying to make sense of the world around him, while also solving the murder of his neighbour’s dog, was an immediate hit upon its release in 2003 and has been turned into numerous stage productions across the world. 

In this adaptation by Simon Stephens and directed by Ned Bennett, the main character is no longer Christopher but Chris, a young girl with autism. This gender change does have a big impact on the rest of the story and the relationships within it, highlighting interesting differences between the way boys and girls are not only treated, but also the way in which autism and neurodivergence presents in girls compared to boys. 

Dr Sarah Jane Nuttall advised the production from the very start around autism in women and girls, as she has lived experience and is a post-doctorate researcher in this field. Plus, both Alex Keenan and Imi Price, who share the lead role and do a great job, are neurodivergent themselves. This certainly brings a layer of authenticity to the role, though I fear some of the intensity and drama of some scenes was slightly lost in this version, perhaps owing to the fact that autistic girls can often mask or internalise more, whereas boy are perhaps more prone to lashing out. 

The supporting cast had strengths throughout, particularly Bridgette Amofah as Siobhan, who brought a warmth and calm presence to each scene she was in. Chris’ parents Ed and Judy were played by Joe McFadden and Charlie Brooks, respectively. Both gave strong performances, though their on-stage chemistry was not quite there for me in parts. 

Perhaps most unusual was the portrayal of Roger / Mr Shears by Matthew Bulgo. Despite being an imposing, unlikeable character in the original, in this version it felt sometimes as though his character was played for laughs and softened in some ways, rather than bringing a severity to the role that is needed to demonstrate his aggression and short-temper. This is perhaps a natural result of Chris being a girl in this production, with Mr Shears maybe being less likely to be aggressive to a young girl than a young boy, intentionally or not. 

Despite my reservations, the set design by Eleanor Bull is clever, using various geometric blocks, projections and bouncy balls to create Chris’ ever-complex way of seeing the world. This was well accompanied by Giles Thomas and Laura Howard’s compelling sound and lighting design to create necessary tension throughout. 

Overall, I have mixed views of this production. Despite some strengths, a committed cast and an interesting and worthwhile attempt at flipping the script to focus on a female neurodivergent main character, it somehow left me unfulfilled and with more questions than answers. Food for thought though, and I commend the sensitivity with which neurodivergence was brought to the stage.