Adapted by Simon Stephens
Based on the Novel by Mark Haddon
Directed by Jac Wheble
Review by Hunter King
The Edinburgh Graduate Theatre Group performed Mark Haddon’s modern classic The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time this week at Assembly Roxy in a way that felt authentic, meaningful, and emotional. When entering the Roxy, I had not anticipated that the production would be performed in the round, but seeing the stage at ground level with chairs and tape marks surrounding it, I will admit, I immediately felt the anxiety bubbling up that I normally feel with theatre in the round. I anticipated a production that would feel disjointed because of poor sightline visibility, actors who would play to one side of the audience, and an overall sense that, as with many productions I have seen in the round, I would immediately break my suspension of disbelief. I am pleased to say that I couldn’t be more wrong. EGTG’s production has a perfect blend that makes theatre in the round work, having actors playing to every corner of the auditorium and a clear story that was constantly evolving, while also constantly revolving.
Curious Incident tells the story of Christopher (Iain Goldie), a neurodivergent teen who is navigating his small-town life and gathering an understanding of the world around him while preparing for his A-levels and trying to solve the mystery of who might have killed his neighbour’s dog. While the plot may seem simple at first, it unravels into a touching story about family, mistakes, and of course, finding a sense of belonging.
The audience immediately feels transported into the mind of Christopher, even before the show, largely thanks to the lighting and sound designs led by Rhona Sampson and Dug Campbell, respectively. Their designs were dynamic and constantly flowing, as if they were themselves a train of thought that is easy to get lost in. From the time the show starts, it is clear that director Jac Wheble had carefully crafted a physically demanding piece of ensemble-based theatre. Each actor felt well utilised, most of whom played several characters, and all of whom were led largely by Goldie.
Goldie demands attention as Christopher, and never once budges even slightly out of character. His portrayal of a very difficult and sometimes controversial character feels authentic and grounded, reminding me of several of my own students who I taught in my year as a special education teacher. This masterful interpretation of the character continues throughout the production and even into the curtain call, wherein Goldie/Christopher thanked us “for clapping” and led us on a journey through his mind to solve a difficult math problem.
Christopher is influenced heavily by the people surrounding him, notably his father, Ed (Paul Arendt), his mother, Judy (Esther Gilvray), and his teacher, Siobhan (Jamila Love), who also serves as a pseudo-narrator for the production, reading Christopher’s thoughts as they were written in his notebook. Arendt and Gilvray bring the energy of parents who feel a disconnect between them and their child, and while both of them are playing deeply flawed characters, they make the audience empathise with them. Both have touching performances and portray the complexities of these fully developed and flawed characters in ways that don’t try to justify their faults, but rather focus on the grey area of trying to be good parents even while dealing with personal issues that are derailing their own lives.
The ensemble plays a crucial part in the production, often filling in the overwhelming sounds and visuals that Christopher experiences in his daily life. The entire company feels incredibly in sync with no missed beats from actors or tech, especially in more chaotic scenes such as the train scene in Act Two, which is filled with snappy dialogue, sound effects, and physical performances from the ensemble reminiscent of Rick Elice’s Peter and the Star Catcher. The use of heavily stylised cartoonish props, most of which were made of cardboard, was welcomed and played so convincingly that at times they felt as if they were actually real, namely a stack of two-dimensional beer cans guzzled down by Christopher Learnmonth’s Roger, and a police walkie held by James Austin Dixon.
Certain ensemble members stood out, such as Hilary Spiers for her natural-sounding accent work as she changed from character to character, Wendy Mathison for her hilarious one-liners as Christopher’s teacher (my personal biggest laughs of the night), and Ola Olsinova for her brilliant puppetry of Toby, Christopher’s pet rat. Olsinova specifically brought so much life into Toby that, despite being a piece of cardboard with a black marker face, I felt a strong connection to him.
The spectacle of the show was wowing, especially in the scenes where we get a deeper look into Christopher’s mind. The scene in space combined the physical performance of the actors with the simple but effective strand lights creating the stars, and once again Olsinova was the cherry on top with Toby floating through space. EGTG should be proud of an incredibly cohesive and moving piece of theatre that will leave audiences feeling empathetic and, of course, that they too can do anything.
A Cohesive and Moving Piece
The Curious Incident of the Dog In The Night-Time runs at The Assembly Roxy
Running time: Two hours and twenty minutes with one interval
Review by Hunter King (contact@corrblimey.uk)
Hunter is a 2024 Master’s graduate of the University of Edinburgh and current doctoral candidate with a thesis focused on experimental theatre in Edinburgh. He has been a theatre practitioner for over a decade having worked in many capacities including as a director, actor, stage manager, front of house manager, and technician as well as others. Prior to moving to Edinburgh, Hunter was a high school English teacher in the United States. His passion for the written word as well as his passion for live performance are what motivated him to become a writer for this publication.
