The National Theatre’s multi award-winning production of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time makes its Scottish debut at the Festival Theatre in Edinburgh this Spring as part of a tour of the UK and Ireland.
Adapted by Simon Stephens from Mark Haddon’s 2003 award winning and best-selling book that has been translated into 44 languages, the play is directed by Marianne Elliott, who co-directed the National Theatre’s production of War Horse that played to packed houses at Festival Theatre.
The show tells the story of fifteen year old Christopher Boone. One night at seven minutes past midnight he standing beside a dead dog that has been speared with a garden fork and finds himself under suspicion. He records each fact in a book he is writing to solve the mystery of who murdered Wellington the dog. Christopher has an extraordinary brain that is exceptional at maths while ill-equipped to interpret everyday life. He has never ventured alone beyond the end of his road and detests being touched and distrusts strangers, but his detective work takes him on a frightening journey that upturns his world.
Author Mark Haddon said, “When I wrote Curious Incident I was absolutely convinced that it couldn’t be adapted for film or stage. The novel is one person’s very insulated and sometimes profoundly mistaken view of the world. We’re stuck inside Christopher’s head from cover to cover. We see the world the way he sees the world. …I simply couldn’t imagine how Christopher’s story could be told with any integrity in this way. Simon’s genius was to recognize that I was completely and utterly wrong.”
The extraordinary set and video designs have been created by set and costume designer Bunny Christie and video designer Finn Ross production for which they received one of a total of seven Olivier Awards that the production won in 2013.
“I'm very proud of Curious Incident. It’s a wonderful story that people, of all ages, love," said St Andrews born Bunny Christie. "It’s great to be taking the show to Scotland.”
Aberdeen-born Finn Ross added, “It’s a joy to be able to take Curious Incident home and for friends and family to come along and see the show. We are both absolutely delighted that audiences in Scotland will be able to see the show in Edinburgh, Glasgow and Aberdeen."
Swansea-born Joshua Jenkins whose previous theatre credits include Dunsinane for the Royal Shakespeare Company and National Theatre of Scotland, makes his National Theatre debut in the central role of Christopher. Geraldine Alexander whose TV work includes Father Brown, Shetland, and the original series of Taggart is his teacher Siobhan.
The remaining cast, many of whom will be familiar faces from TV, stage and big screen, is Roberta Kerr who will play Mrs Alexander; Stuart Laing - his father Ed; Gina Isaacs - Judy and Clare Perkins - Mrs Shears.
The West End production of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time continues at the Gielgud Theatre and the Broadway production is running at the Barrymore Theatre.
Festival Theatre Edinburgh dates 28 April – 9 May
Other Scottish dates:
The Kings, Glasgow 18 – 22 August, His Majesties Theatre, Aberdeen 1 – 5 September
Full tour dates:
Lowry, Salford 18 December - 10 January
New Theatre, Hull 13 - 17 January
Grand Opera House, York 20 - 24 January
Theatre Royal, Newcastle 7 January - 7 February
Regent Theatre Stoke-on-Trent 10 - 14 February
Grand Theatre, Wolverhampton 17 - 21 February
Theatre Royal, Plymouth 3 - 14 March
Waterside, Aylesbury 17 - 21 March
Royal & Derngate, Northampton 24 - 28 March
Theatre Royal, Nottingham 31 March - 11 April
Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff 14 - 18 April
Bradford, Alhambra 21 - 25 April
Festival Theatre, Edinburgh 28 April - 9 May
Marlowe Theatre, Canterbury 12 May - 23 May
Birmingham Hippodrome 26 May - 6 June
Curve, Leicester 9 June - 13 June
Mayflower Theatre, Southampton 23 June - 4 July
Hall for Cornwall, Truro 7 - 11 July
New Theatre, Oxford 14 - 18 July
Liverpool Empire 21 - 25 July
Bristol Hippodrome 4 - 8 August
Sunderland Empire 11 - 15 August
Glasgow Kings 18 - 22 August
Leeds Grand 25 - 29 August
His Majesty’s Aberdeen 1 - 5 September
Theatre Royal, Norwich 8 - 12 September
Sheffield Lyceum 5 - 26 September
Bord Gais Theatre, Dublin 6 -10 October
Grand Opera House, Belfast 13 - 17 October
Theatre Royal, Bath 20 - 31 October
Milton Keynes Theatre 3 - 7 November