Review by Emma
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time follows teenager Christopher Boone as he tries to unravel the mystery of who killed his neighbour’s dog, Wellington, with a garden fork. It’s not as straightforward as it seems.
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| Photo by Jonathan Pryke. |
This is a compelling tale about a working-class English teenager on the spectrum (the word “autism” is never mentioned in the script) and the way he figures out how to make his way through, a world in which he doesn’t feel very comfortable. The play puts us into the shoes of its title character, reminding us that there isn’t necessarily any “right way” to interact with reality.
Tristan Olesiak is incredible as Christopher, alternating between lovable and irritating. His mannerisms captured his anxiety brilliantly, and his nervous body movements made me believe he was fifteen (to be fair, Tristan is only a few years off that age anyway!). He captured the balance of Christopher’s manic episodes and his vulnerability, and I loved every moment of his performance.
Karen Sales gives a beautiful and nuanced portrayal of Siobhan, the teacher at Christopher’s special school who also acts as the narrator of the play. Siobhan is probably the person Christopher is closest to, and the moments between Sales and Olesiak are beautifully played. Siobhan clearly has concern for Christopher whilst still being realistic with him, and without appearing condescending because of his mental health struggles.
Chris Merricks takes on the role of Ed, Christopher’s father, a difficult role to play (in my opinion). Ed doesn’t quite “get” Christopher; the two live alone after the disappearance of Christopher’s mother, and it’s a fractious relationship. Merricks gives us a complicated, flawed man who both chafes at having to care for his high-maintenance son as a single dad but also demonstrates paternal love and loyalty in his own way.
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| Photo by Jonathan Pryke |
The role of Judy, Christopher’s mother, is played with equal parts comedy and emotion by Caitlin Mottram. There is a brusque, selfish compassion to Judy, but you can’t help warming to her; much of this is down to Mottram’s brilliant portrayal. Judy is by far my favourite character in the play.
The rest of the cast (Nadine Beasley, Luke Evered, David Lovell, Holly Matusiewicz and David Stevens) make up every other character mentioned by Christopher, including (but not limited to): various policemen, Drunk Man, Man with Socks (don’t ask), and Mrs Shears (owner of the dead dog).
The actors remain on the stage at all times, and the costumes are simple – white and/or blue – allowing them to blend in with the set, yet still remaining distinct with the addition of a hi-viz vest, or a dressing gown when ‘acting’. It’s impossible to pick out a favourite from this group; they are all equally fantastic, but if pushed I’m going for Matusiewicz’ Mrs Shears (dead dog, bit of a bitch), Beasley’s Mrs Alexander (Christopher’s kindly neighbour who willingly learns how to get on with him despite his differences) and Evered’s Uncle Terry (always smoking, definitely asks female relatives for a cuddle).
A special mention must go to original cast member Siobhan Ball, who had to drop out due to illness the day before the play opened. Ball’s lines have been split amongst the other cast members but having been lucky enough to see some of the rehearsals, I can confirm that she was excellent and is deeply missed.
The most striking part of this play was definitely the staging (designed by Gem Greaves) and lighting/projection (designed by Jeremy Thompson). The projection, in particular, was extremely effective at portraying Christopher’s emotions and notable moments; think beautiful stars, stressful train stations, and flashing police lights. The set is clean and white, with ingenious hidey holes for the mind-blowing number of props. Sound (designed and composed by Amanda Priestley) adds to and heightens the drama throughout. The design as a whole is at its most powerful when it conveys the panic of information overload.
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| Photo by Jonathan Pryke |
The character of Christopher can be difficult to describe; although many people have attributed mental health conditions such as Asperger's or autism to his character, Mark Haddon (author of the novel on which this play is based) has never confirmed anything. Although generally an endearing character, he can be quite frustrating if you don’t understand mental health and how Christopher is drawn to act. In a world that’s slightly more understanding of mental health issues and those with differences now in comparison to when Haddon’s novel was first published, it’s easy to feel more sympathy with Christopher when he is treated with impatience by others; why should he automatically know that the London Underground is also known as the ‘Tube’, or that ‘quids’ means ‘pounds’ if he’s never had to experience this? The English language is full of quirks and metaphors, and because neurotypical people understand it, we often forget that others may not.
This entire production was a showcase of what theatre should be – incredible acting, fantastic lighting, creative scenery and a heartfelt story being brought to life. Director Paul Beasley has created an absolute masterpiece, and I genuinely cannot recommend it enough. The breaks in the fourth wall were brilliantly done, and for a play so emotional, it has a lot of comedic moments. You don’t need to have read the novel, because I’m sure that you’ll have a great time joining Christopher in his journey. If you do see it though, wait until after the final bows – there may be a surprise at the end!
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time plays at The Little Theatre until 31st January 2026. Tickets are available from https://thelittletheatre.co.uk/
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