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Phil Hopkins
Group Travel Editor & Theatre Correspondent
@philhopkinsuk
10:11 AM 26th August 2015
arts

Please Sir, Can I Have Some More?

 
When you excitedly tell everyone that you are going to see a certain production for the second time and that they'll 'love it', you might argue that as a critic, you have already lost the argument and become the latest in a long line of theatrical sycophants!

But please, indulge this gibbering thespian who, last night, witnessed The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time for a second time in four months, and loved it as much as he did the first.

This show, which has won all the awards both here and across the Pond, is like witnessing the ultimate spectacle....there's just too much to see at first pass and you benefit from a second viewing.

For the uninitiated it is based on Mark Haddon's novel about autistic teenager, Christopher Boone, who finds himself in the garden of his home peering at a dead dog, speared by a garden fork. Thereafter his singular mission becomes to find out who killed the unfortunate animal.

But, a detective novel it is not, more an examination of autism, its alternative view of the world, relationships, emotions, the pressures of life and broken dreams.

It is hard to believe that someone could take autism and turn it into a pivotal piece of theatre but, when Simon Stephens wrote the play and Marianne Elliott agreed to direct his work for the National Theatre, they did just that and what a triumph, especially Joshua Jenkins in the main role; consistent, twitchy, brilliant.

There's something unique about autism. On the one hand we all sympathise with those so-called 'unfortunate parents' who have a lifetime wrestling with often emotionally withdrawn youngsters, whilst on the other being fascinated with those of them who develop amazing 'powers'.

For Christopher it was mathematical equations, for the son of my 'real life' friend, it was learning drum beats.......hundreds of them; he now works in the orchestra on a cruise ship!

And it is that fascination that has given The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time life, we want to be fascinated and entertained but, at the end of the evening, we don't really want to have to deal with the challenges of autism. "I could have cried," said my guest, but it was both tears of sadness and laughter.

Christopher can't take a pee on the train without huge anxiety, because it is a stranger's toilet, but the only time dad can hug him, without fear of him breaking into a screaming fit, is when his son is unconscious; a hugely touching moment as a father, starved of emotion, is momentarily fulfilled.

The production is compact, dynamic and crammed full of humour, pathos, love and loss. It is unique, one of a kind and it is well worth becoming a voyeur for the night, even if all your kids are 'normal'. It'll get you thinking.

Go, you'll love it. Oops, there I am again!

Until Saturday August 29th
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night
Leeds Grand - 7.30pm