I must admit that when I first heard that Mark Haddon’s novel The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time was being adapted for the stage, I was skeptical. After all, much of the charm of the 2003 bestseller lies in its unconventional format — complete with sketches and graphs that help take you into the mind of its young, neurodivergent protagonist. But Simon Stephens’ 2012 Tony Award-winning play — onstage at Nashville Repertory Theatre through April 2 — brings the oddly engaging tale to life with tremendous compassion and surprising humor.
As the show opens, we meet 15-year-old Christopher Boone — a young man with a brilliant mind, but who is “ill-equipped to interpret everyday life.” (The play never specifically identifies Christopher’s condition, but he exhibits many of the characteristics associated with autism spectrum disorder — such as challenges with social interaction and difficulty processing nonverbal communication.) But despite his many obstacles, Christopher sets out to investigate the murder of a neighbor’s beloved dog, uncovering a secret that will change his world forever.
Director Micah-Shane Brewer has elected to stage this unusual piece in TPAC’s intimate Johnson Theater — a wise choice that immediately draws the audience into the action. But performances are key to unlocking the elaborate layers of Stephens’ script, and Brewer succeeds here as well, putting together a marvelous cast that approaches the material with great respect, tenderness and emotional honesty.
Ben Friesen anchors the piece as Christopher, delivering a fearless yet beautifully measured performance. It’s an incredibly demanding role, and one that keeps Friesen onstage for virtually all of the play. But he tackles each scene with extraordinary focus — whether enjoying a quiet moment in the garden or navigating the overwhelming chaos of a London train station. It’s an impressive Rep debut, and I look forward to seeing what the future holds for this talented young artist.
Friesen receives excellent support from a tireless ensemble of players that features both new and familiar faces. Often moving together as a unit, these actors easily step in and out of the action, taking on a host of different characters — and even a few inanimate objects — along the way. It’s a very physical approach to storytelling, and I especially enjoyed the bit when they literally lift Christopher up — enabling him to dream of a life in outer space.
As Christopher’s troubled parents, Nat McIntyre and Lauren Berst give nicely layered performances, balancing their characters’ collective anguish and frustration with thoughtful restraint and an abiding sense of love. Sejal Mehta also is outstanding as Christopher’s teacher Siobhan, providing much of the play’s heart and a genuine sense of wonder at her student’s unique gifts. It’s interesting to note that, while the novel is presented in Christopher’s voice, Siobhan handles narration in the play, which allows elements of both the past and the present to play out in seamless fashion.
Having seen the national tour of Curious, which stopped at TPAC’s Jackson Hall in 2017, I was eager to see how the Rep’s design concept might compare. Cody Stockstill’s sleek scenery and detailed projections do not disappoint. The grid-like set is quite efficient, supporting the fluid staging while effectively drawing us into Christopher’s mind. Darren Levin’s lighting and Gregg Perry’s sound also contribute to this highly immersive atmosphere, although I do wonder if they could have gone even further, amping up the sudden bursts of light and sound to give us an even more potent sense of how Christopher experiences the world.
But that’s a minor concern in such a polished production. And while Curious offers no easy answers, it poses important questions about the way we see the world and how we deal with our own particular quirks, challenges and fears. Balancing humor with heartbreak, it offers a wholly rewarding evening of theater.
