Review: Ottawa Little Theatre's THE CURIOUS INCIDENT OF THE DOG IN THE NIGHT-TIME

Ottawa Little Theatre’s production of Mark Haddon’s The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time draws the audience into the mind of its main protagonist, fifteen year old Christopher Boone (Simon-Rhys Landry). Although intellectually brilliant, Christopher has a difficult time dealing with what most people might consider to be mundane, everyday things – like being touched, speaking with strangers, crowded spaces, and the colour yellow. He also has a pet rat named Toby, excels at math, and wants to eventally become an astronaut. Christopher goes to a class with other children with special needs where he is taught with patience and affection by Siobhan (Sarah Aaron), who is also his confidante. At home, things are not always easy. Christopher’s father, Ed (Guy Newsham), can be difficult to deal with, especially since Christopher’s mother, Judy (Juli Heney) died of a heart condition a couple of years previously.

When we first meet Christopher, he is standing over the body of Wellington, his neighbour’s dog. We find out that Wellington was brutally stabbed with a pitchfork and Christopher sets out to figure out whodunit, despite his father’s misgivings. Along the way and, with the help of newfound friend, Mrs. Alexander (Jane Morris), Christopher uncovers other mysteries that open a Pandora’s box and forces him to look at the people he loves in a different light.

The unusual staging (designed by Gillean Denny Bernier, PhD) was quite different for Ottawa Little Theatre and was mostly effective. The stage was like an irregular box, with sides that could be lifted and dropped as needed. Projections onto the walls and multi-purpose, abstract boxes were virtually the only descriptive elements and props used (lighting design by Doug George). This staging did an exceptionally good job of communicating the boxed-in, but ever-expanding world in which Christopher lives but, because of the layout, the actors walking about and waiting for their cues backstage was visible and distracting to the audience - at least from my vantage point. The projections made Christopher’s thoughts come wonderfully alive on stage, particularly when he describes his rationale for wanting to be an astronaut and when he talks about the stars in the night sky. There were a couple of times when the projections were dsitracting rather then enhancing, most notably when they overlapped the characters on stage, such as when Christopher relived a memory with his mother, Judy (Juli Heney) at the beach. Because the stage area was smaller than the regular stage, there were sometimes when it felt unnecessarily overcrowded but, at the same time, this also worked really well to convey Christopher’s discomfort during crowded scenes.

Landry, the actor who portrayed Christopher, has a challenging role, as they must incorporate many non-verbal cues to fully reflect their character’s state of mind, from little gestures, nods, and movements to audible grunts, laying on the floor in a fetal position, and rocking back and forth. This never came across as artificial, and they embodied Christopher’s character to the fullest possible extent. Landry, together with Aaron, was also one of the few cast members who kept their British accent up throughout the play, while most of the others faltered and switched between their natural accents and the British one.

Aaron was a kindly, almost motherly Siobhan, who showed empathy as she watched events unfold on stage. Siobhan’s role is a bit odd, as she serves as both a narrator of sorts, as well as an active character. Newsham was especially convincing in the second act, where his character’s turmoil becomes more and more apparent. Several actors (Juli Heney, Shawn Anctil, Jane Morris, Chisholm Pothier, Kate Salmon, and Jeremie Huot) donned many hats, playing multiple supporting roles, as well as background characters in crowded areas. One scene that was particularly well done was at the train station, where Christopher attempts to memorize the rhythm of the train and the lead up to boarding. It was cleverly staged and perfectly evoked the predictability and routine of the incoming and outgoing trains.

Although it does start to feel drawn out by the halfway mark of the second act, the show has a riveting plot, with some twists and light character development, but what really stands out in Ottawa Little Theatre’s production is Landry’s performance as Christopher, brilliantly directed by Riley Stewart. The show is worth the price of admission just to see their performance.

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time is on stage at Ottawa Little Theatre through September 7, 2024. Click the link below to purchase tickets or click here for more information.

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