The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time – Skokie Theatre

Another beautiful performance at the Skokie Theatre telling the story based on the 2003 mystery novel by British writer Mark Haddon.  The story is about Christopher, a 15-year-old boy with behavioral difficulties living in Swindon, Wiltshire, with his father, Ed.  Christopher is somewhat of a mathematician, an outsider due to his disorder, and sees the world in a revealing way although he is ill-equipped to interpret everyday life.  

The boy has never ventured out on his own, hates being touched and distrusts strangers.

Wellington, his neighbor Mrs. Shears’s dog is killed, speared with a garden fork, and Christopher is determined to solve the who-done-it mystery after originally being a suspect himself for the killing of the dog.  Christopher records every fact of the crime in a book although his father forbids his detective work.  Christopher goes on a journey which turns his world inside out.

The story is told with scenes of his teacher Sioban’s coaching which reveal a first-person perspective of what is going on in Christopher’s head as he discovers his mother, Judy, did not indeed die of a heart attack which is what his father had told him.

Through his investigation, an elderly neighbor informs Christopher that his mother had an affair with Mr. Shears, the husband of the woman whose dog was killed.

When Christopher’s father Ed discovers the book and confiscates it, Christopher searches his father’s room for the book and finds letters from his mother dated after her supposed death.  This results in Christopher having a major catatonic episode.  Ed then admits to lying about Judy’s death and Christopher discovers the truth – that his mom is still alive and living in London with Mr. Shears. And that his dad Ed killed Wellington the dog while angry after an argument with Mrs. Shears. This information leads to Christopher running away to live with his mother.

A long intense journey in which Christopher is fully overwhelmed with tickets, trains, sounds and overstimulating crowds displays how physically overcome and ill Christopher is when venturing to get to his moms in London. Certainly, you do not need to have autism to relate to the overstimulating world we live in.

He finally finds his way to the home of his mother and Mr. Shears, much to his mom’s delight and the irritation of Mr. Shears.  But soon Christopher is obsessed with wanting to return to Swindon to take his mathematics exams.  His mom Judy leaves Mr. Shears as he is hostile towards both her and Christopher.

Christopher’s dad Ed pursues Christopher, apologetic and worried about his son and soon there are visits although Christopher remains apprehensive of his father, wondering if he is dangerous and if he will be arrested for killing the dog Wellington. Ed tries to rebuild his relationship with his son, and gives him a puppy, promising to rebuild his son’s trust in him.

Christopher declares that he will take further exams and attend the university, getting top grades on his mathematics exams.  He is optimistic about his future. The performance puts you in the shoes of this young boy, and his parents as well.  They desperately attempt to sooth and calm their autistic son and the characters come alive simply as people just trying to help their son in whatever way they can.  The story’s mystery is not about the dog but about an autistic person’s world and is told both with comedy and poignancy. The production uses innovative storytelling techniques to showcase how people with autism may reach their full potential and gives the audience a window into the world of someone who is different, on “the spectrum”, creating a feeling of connectedness and acceptance for people with challenges. 

A beautifully portrayed performance and a tribute to April’s Autism acceptance month, this performance promotes connectedness with people like Christopher by conveying his inner life and perspective on navigating the world.

Highly recommended

Runs March 29 – April 21, 2024

Judy Nathan – Chicago Theater Review

Additional information about this and other area productions can be found by visiting www.theatreinchicago.com.