The Beauty in Realism

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time

review by Chloe Hoang

Only the crew can use flash during the show!

“No flash photography during the show please. Thank you!”

Just as we all get situated to prepare for that gradual lights out to start the show, the lights all went out in a snap. Then, our eyes were all attacked by very bright flash, so big that you would think the camera to be the size of a 45-inch flat screen TV. The flash confused us all because we did not know whether it was some very rude audience in front or the start of the show. A very unexpected but very memorable and interesting beginning. It was the hook for the audiences to stay with the show, because we all were very curious to know what is to come next.

The set of this show must be the emptiest yet filled and complicated set. Everything is projected, from the dead dog in the beginning stabbed by a garden fork, to the houses on the Christopher’s street, to the train to London. Both the sound and visual are very real, but in different ways. The director did not try to play any smooth or popular music. Instead, all the sound effects were noises at the train station, sound of people rushing, and the messy sound that goes on in Christopher’s mind. The visual of the show is a mixture of the set of the place and of the world from Christopher’s point of view.

The best part about the show, is definitely the actor’s incredible skill. Adam Langdon did an amazing job of taking in the character and reliving every aspect of Christopher. Each person who has autism has a different way of enunciating words as well as little gesture quirks. Adam was able to stay in character for the whole show.

The defining moment of the play and of Adam’s unbelievable skills and the light and sound effects was the part where Christopher discover the secrets that his father was hiding from him. Letters of his mother was falling down from above, as the letters were projected on the back screen. The lights were flashing on and off very abruptly. Adam held the letters and had a moment of spazzing out, holding the letters and then letting go of them as he spazzes out. The scene was so beautiful because of this perfect, heartbreaking moment of realism. We were able to physically see the things that were going on in his mind, how confusing they were, as well as the pain that he was going through. The scene touched my heart because I could relate to that slight moment. Discovering your parent’s ugly secret is definitely shocking. I was very hurt and angry, so as I saw Adam spazzing out on stage, I relived my moment for a while.

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night time was an incredibly realist and most conflicting show.