Reviewed by: Aditi Acharla
It’s a book that many of us have heard of, maybe even read; a staple in the coming of age and young adult genres. The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time written by Mark Haddon follows Christopher (Peter Chen), a 15-year-old boy who discovers his neighbour’s dog dead in the garden. Implied to be on the autism spectrum, his determination to solve who killed the dog propels him into an investigation that unearths long buried family secrets and forces him to confront his own vulnerabilities. What happens when this classic novel meets immersive stage design and deeply moving performances? You get Element Theatre’s reimagined adaptation, directed by Chenxi Li with Fleur Gao and Esther, that’s laden with gripping emotion. Performed in Chinese with live English captions, Element draws the audience into Christopher’s head, making every moment feel more tangible, as if we too are unravelling the mystery with him.
With Element’s portrayal of The Curious Incident the predominant focal point is the set. Rather than opting for a traditional design, theirs (by Helen) is unconventionally engaging. Picture this: levelled blue boxes leading to two red ramps on either side, resemblant of a rollercoaster ridge that hits a screen. On the screen, a dome appears–imitating a hand drawn picture–that serves as the top of a UFO hovering above the stage. It’s not just a backdrop, but a kinetic, breathing part of the show. The projections change as the story progresses, from Christopher’s room to the lounge of his mother’s home. They are all contained in Christopher’s chaotic inner world and his portrayal of the environment around him, so while he moves the audience beside him, we are still trapped in his mind.
While the charm does lie in the staging, the utilisation of it along with the actors stands as the real delight. The ensemble serves as key props of the play, interacting with the main cast in a way that’s simultaneously magical and humorous. The balance between these two are done seamlessly. Dressed in black, they hold yellow lights to depict the stars above Christopher and his teacher, Miss Sophie (Roisin Xu). Then, they switch and one dons a painted cardboard ATM box, beeping as Christopher uses it which causes an uproar of laughter from the audience. One standout moment occurs when the ensemble physically embodies the process of sending a letter from Christopher’s mother, Judy (Jiayi Sun), to him. The actors mime writing, stamping and sending the letters with a whirl, transforming them into a visual representation of Christopher’s emotional journey upon discovering the messages. It’s a brilliantly simple way to convey the passage of time and distance and it resonates deeply, making the separation between son and mother more explicit.
The acting itself is just as engaging, with the cast delivering their roles with immense nuance and depth, creating a magnetic chemistry amongst one another. Christopher’s struggles with sensory overload, his strict reliance on logic and insistence are all captured by Chen with remarkable sensitivity. But it’s the relationships between characters that are intensely real. Christopher’s dad, Ed (Sheen Tang), is brimming with anger that overflows with loud yet realistic bursts at his son, stealing the audience. Moreover, the way Ed interacts with his ex-wife Judy (Jiayi Sun) and Judy’s lover, Roger (David Li) showcases everyone’s exposures; their hopes and fears, their regrets. Similarly, Christopher and Sophie’s relationship reveals the prior’s motivations, with Sophie providing a subtle comfort to the teenager. Each character is explored with care and the actors’ go above and beyond to highlight the struggles of love, miscommunication and the difficulty of truly understanding each other.
Element Theatre’s reimagined adaptation of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time is a compelling journey that elevates Mark Haddon’s novel into a stunning, multi-dimensional experience. This adaptation doesn’t simply retell the story–it draws us into the mind of Christopher, as compact as a toy UFO. We are left with a lasting impression from the uneasiness of family dynamics, to the feeling of attachment when the set, props, ensemble and main cast come together. By the end, it is not solving the mystery of the dog, but about understanding the distance between Christopher and those he loves and how that inevitably shapes his journey towards independence.
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time played October 17th to 19th at the Union Theatre.
The Dialog is supported by Union House Theatre.
The Dialog 