Mark Haddon’s 2003 novel, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, jumped from the page to the stage in Belvoir Street Theatre’s brilliant theatrical adaptation. At almost three hours long, the play captured the essence of Haddon’s novel — including its complex and unique characters, idiosyncratic way of storytelling, and bildungsroman structure — while bringing the original text up to date for a 2024 audience. After teaching this text to my HSC English students for the past two terms, the play was a delight to watch from beginning to end in the way it brought the original book to life. Ultimately, the play transported audiences on an emotional journey that emphasised the importance of empathy, understanding, and accepting one another for who we are.
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time is narrated by fifteen year old Christopher John Francis Boone. Christopher is an extraordinary thinker who knows “all the countries of the world and their capital cities and every prime number up to 7,507.” Christopher is not only exceptional at maths but also observes the tiny details of everyday life we all seem to miss, such as the exact number of cows in one particular field, as well as the specific colours of each cow. While never explicitly stated in the play or the novel, Christopher is neurodivergent.
Both the novel and the play open with Christopher finding the body of his neighbour Mrs. Shears’ dead dog, Wellington, precisely “7 minutes after midnight.” After being discovered with the dead dog by the police and wrongly accused of Wellington’s murder, Christopher is determined to discover “who had killed [Wellington], and why.” What Christopher uncovers in this quest takes him on a journey that even he could not have predicted.
Haddon’s novel which the play was based on was published to critical acclaim upon its 2003 release, winning the Whitbread Book of the Year award and Guardian Children’s Fiction Prize in 2003, while also longlisted for the Booker Prize in the same year. However, Haddon has since been criticised for his depiction of Christopher and his experience of neurodiversity. As Amanda Tink discussed in a recent Conversation article, Haddon conducted no official research regarding the autism spectrum and what it is like for people to live with neurodiversity. Rather, Haddon claimed in a 2009 response to these criticisms that: “imagination always trumps research.”
Much has changed since 2009, with the Christopher of Belvoir’s production played by Daniel R. Nixon. Nixon, who has lived experience of neurodivergence, excels in his role as Christopher, bringing Haddon’s original character to life with authenticity and empathy that firmly brings us into Christopher’s character and experiences. Indeed, the play creates a highly welcoming and inclusive environment before the play officially begins, with both Nixon and fellow cast member Brigid Zengeni (who plays Christopher’s teacher, Siobhan), welcoming audiences to the production and making us aware of the sensory warnings that the play features, including loud noises and bright lights. As director Hannah Goodwin notes, The Curious Incident is designed for all theatre goers:
“… I think [the play] is for people who have ever felt like an outsider. I think Curious Incident is also for first time theatre goers, for young people… I’m hoping to see some young people experiencing this story for the first time at our show… The challenge that the play poses [is] that it is our differences that unite us, not divide us.”
Overall, Belvoir’s theatrical adaptation of Haddon’s 2003 novel is a must-see. The play’s excellent casting, use of a simple yet impactful set, and creation of a welcoming and inclusive theatre environment means that all audience members can enjoy — and perhaps learn from — Christopher’s journey of self-discovery. After teaching this text for the past two terms, I have a fresh understanding of the power of The Curious Incident in its ability to generate empathy amongst its audience. Ultimately, the play highlighted that everyone, no matter their personality, interests, or situation, deserves to have their story told, whether on the pages of a book or under the lights of the stage..
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time will be performed at Belvoir Street Theatre until September 22, 2024.
