On and Off Broadway

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time

A Review by Elyse Trevers

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Every year, London's West End and our Broadway exchange exciting plays and musicals. This year, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, winner of seven Olivier Awards, including Best Play, made the move to NYC and is enthralling American audiences. Based upon the award-winning novel by Mark Haddon, the play shares the experiences of Christopher, a highly-functioning autistic 15-year-old as he seeks to learn who killed his neighbor's dog. As he does his "detective" work, he learns about the mysteries of his parents' relationship and takes a daring journey on his own to London.

Recent Juilliard graduate Alex Sharp delivers an amazing performance in his Broadway debut. He's onstage almost the entire time, displaying Christopher’s intelligence and limitations at the same time.

Although Christopher is highly functioning, his illness causes him to recoil when anyone touches him, and loud noises and lights frighten him. Yet he is a math whiz, so his father coerces his special school to allow him to take his Math A levels, a highly advanced test. (The test becomes a pivotal event in the play.)

The adults surrounding him have difficulty interacting with him, but the theater audience is on his side. An unlikely hero, Christopher is smart and determined, but limited in his ability to interact with people. Our hearts go out to him, especially when he wends his way to London, via tube and train- a frightening prospect for anyone.

Haddon’s book is engrossing and moving and the play successfully conveys those characteristics. The play goes beyond the book with

masterfully creative staging, done almost entirely with lights. Scenic design is by Bunny Christie with lighting by Paule Constable. One of the best scenes is Christopher taking a long escalator ride down in the London tube.

Throughout much of the play I found myself hurting for Christopher, fearful that he would be injured and upset that the noisy, cold world would harm him. Knowing that no matter what happens, he would never be okay. He might succeed but could never overcome the challenges of his autism.

The show ends but Christopher returns to speak to the audience. So if you go, don't dash out of the theater to catch that train. Wait for him and you will see him at his best. There are lessons to be learned from Christopher about bravery and tackling one’s fears. The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time is inspirational and triumphant, so don’t miss it.