The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night (touring) ★★★★★

If you can harness the traits that make you unique and face the challenges you fear the most, is there any limit to what you can achieve? This premise lies at the heart of Melting Pot and Birmingham Rep’s fresh co-production of the hugely successful stage drama The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, itself inspired by Mark Haddon’s best-selling book. The book, published in 2003, would go on to be translated into forty-five languages, with the subsequent theatre adaptation by Simon Stephens making its West End debut ten years later. Broadway beckoned the following year, and today there is barely a day when the play isn’t being performed somewhere in the world.

The central character is teenage student Chris Boone (Alex Keenan), written for the first time in the show’s history as female for this production. She has an exceptional gift for mathematics and science but struggles with talking to strangers, figures of speech and being touched. Chris finds herself amid the titular situation when she discovers a neighbour’s pet dog pinned to the lawn by a garden fork, in a deliberate and malicious act. Aghast at the senseless killing, she determines to solve the crime by tracking down the culprit.

Chris lives with her father, Ed (Joe McFadden), who is mourning the loss of her mother Judy (Charlie Brooks). Chris keeps a written record of her investigations in a journal, which forms the basis of the play’s narration – extracts from it are read to the audience by her teacher and mentor Siobhan (Bridgette Amofah). An ensemble cast portrays a wide range of neighbours and strangers who Chris must encounter in her mission for the truth.

Keenan, making her professional debut as Chris, brings her own lived experience of neurodivergence to the role in a performance that is nothing short of extraordinary. She portrays the joys and challenges of autism with spirit and sincerity, from the highs of scientific enthusiasm to the lows of meltdowns that are truly heartrending to witness. Brooks renders the character of Judy with some touching moments, and McFadden provides solid, if a little one-dimensional, accompaniment

One of the most remarkable elements of this production is the staging, which is a wonder to behold. Creative use of video screens, puppets and props means that very little traditional scenery is needed. The combination of these creates a tremendous sense of fun – at times it feels like watching a live-action cartoon unfold before your eyes. This is complemented by some beautiful choreography (directed by Jennifer Jackson), interpreting Chris’s experiences both positive and negative. Credit also goes to ensemble member (and former national tumbling champion) Robert Penny for his impressive acrobatics.

With current estimates suggesting that as many as one in five adults have some form of neurodivergence, this play is relevant, empowering, and educational. It will stay with you long after the final curtain has fallen. And that’s no mystery.