Review: The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, New Wimbledon Theatre

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time has been one of my favourite stories since I was a teenager. I loved Mark Haddon’s book, and was lucky enough to see Simon Stephen’s stage adaptation when it first played at the National Theatre in 2012.

Now, Ned Bennett – in collaboration with Birmingham Rep and Melting Pot – has created a new telling of this fantastic story, inviting audiences once again into this captivating mystery.

We follow Chris, played by Alex Keenan, as she investigates the murder of her neighbour’s dog, Wellington. Questioning the adults around her, the 15-year-old uncovers even more secrets along the way. In Bennett’s version of the story, Chris has been rewritten as a teenage girl rather than a teenage boy.

While it’s never explicitly stated in the play or the book, Chris exhibits many traits of autism – from a talent for mathematics at a young age, to intense reactions to physical touch. The choice to make Chris a girl complements the story and offers a different perspective, bringing up some interesting questions around neurodivergence, gender, and independence. This gender-swap is particularly effective in bringing attention to the experiences of autistic women and girls, who are often misdiagnosed or diagnosed later in life.

This is Keenan’s professional debut, and she is compelling in her portrayal of Chris. As an openly neurodiverse actor herself, she achieves a great balance between the wonder and confusion Chris feels towards the world around her. She is both delighted and distressed by the people and environments she encounters, and Keenan is convincing and engaging throughout.

Eleanor Bull and the rest of the creative team also do an amazing job in conveying Chris’s perspective – whether that’s through Haley Egan’s videos, projected at the back of the stage, or Matt Hutchinson’s delightful puppetry for the animal characters. Through exaggerated props, bright costumes, and colourful sets, we join a surreal and playful world that’s both fun and unfamiliar, mimicking Chris’s own experiences.

At times, the production feels geared towards a younger audience, with Bridgette Amofah’s narration as Siobhan and the quirky design giving a slight children’s TV show feel. This doesn’t always work and sometimes dampens the darker scenes of the play. However, on the whole, the balance feels right between moments of stress and moments of joy.

A standout moment for me is the start of Act 2 when Chris travels to London on her own. This is a chaotic sequence, with inflated yellow balls pouring onto the stage, cast members calling out different ad slogans and brand names, and fast-paced movements with metal suitcases. The stage is full and busy and loud, and you really get a sense of just how overwhelming and bizarre this all is for Chris.

This revival is whimsical and joyful. Through skilful acting and stagecraft, it brings the autistic experience to the foreground, welcoming fresh interpretations of this beloved story.

Original book by: Mark Haddon  

Adapted by: Simon Stephens  

Directed by: Ned Bennett  

Designed by: Eleanor Bull  

Lighting Design by: Laura Deward  

Composer and Sound Designer: Giles Thomas  

Production Manager: Tom Kingdon for Production Solutions Group

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time plays at the New Wimbledon Theatre until Saturday 14 November before continuing its UK tour, travelling first to the Chichester Festival Theatre.