The Curious Incident Of The Dog In The Night-Time UK Tour Review

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time is a story and play that has wowed audiences for over a decade now.  Based on the 2003 novel of the same name by Mark Haddon, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time is a tale about a 15 year old boy called Christopher Boone who finds his neighbours dog has died in mysterious circumstances. He heads on a journey of discovery to find out that the things he knows and loves might not be as simple as they seem. 

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time is on a UK Tour and has landed in Southampton at The Mayflower Theatre. Max and I were invited along to see what we thought of this electric show. 


One thing that must be said at the start of this review is that visually this play is stunning. The set comprises of a simple white box that is filled with hundreds of LED lights to show you Christophers thoughts and emotions as you learn more about what is going on inside his head. With everything from strobe lighting, to words flying across the stage, you see how Christopher can struggle with sensory exhaustion and feeling overwhelmed in a world that might seem calm to others. The way the rest of the cast help move him around the stage helps you realise that every part of this play is coming from the mind of Christopher, and without him there wouldn't be a story. 

The story itself might seem a simple one. A boy finds a neighbours dog has died, and wants to solve the mystery. But really it's a story about acceptance, diversity, and understanding that a mind of someone neuro-divergent can enable them to see the world we live in as something complete different to those neuro-typical people. The story itself spilling into the cast itself, with diversity being at the heart of its casting.  

Connor Curren, an autistic actor himself, portrays Christopher. His performance being one that left me feeling emotionally overwhelmed at how utterly brilliant it was. As someone that works with young people with autism, it was brilliant to see this representation on stage. His performance was award winning, and had the audience on their feet at the end. Supporting Connor, you meet Tom Peters and Kate Kordel who portrayed his parents. Both putting on a performance that most parents can relate to, trying to find the balance between love, protection, and honesty. I also adored Rebecca Root's performance as Siobhan, Christopher's teacher, and what felt like the narrator of the story. She tied everything together and helped the story flow perfectly. 

It's hard to explain how brilliant The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time is. It combines a brilliant cast, with a moving story, and an impressive set. It teaches you that silence can say a thousand words, and autism is funny, caring, inquisitive, and a rollercoaster of emotions. It's a modern masterpiece of a play and one that should be watched by teenagers to the elderly, and everyone in between. It's an edge of your seat murder mystery, and a family drama tied into a play that will definitely take you on an emotional rollercoaster. A must see that left me honestly lost for words. 


The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time is on at the Mayflower Theatre, Southampton until 29th January 2022 before continuing on a UK tour. 

*note: I was gifted tickets, but all opinions are my own. 

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