Play Guide T H E C U R I O U S I N C I D E N T O F T H E D O G I N T H E N I G H T-T I M E / /
July 14-25, 2021
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T H E C U R I O U S I N C I D E N T O F T H E D O G I N T H E N I G H T-T I M E / /
TABLE OF
CONTENTS
01.
P L AY G U I D E A C K N O W L E D G E M E N T S :
C O M P I L E D A N D E D I T E D BY:
D E S I G N E D BY:
Elizabeth Kensek Olivia Duncan
Emily Holt emilyfightscrime.com
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02.
BEHIND THE SHOW A B O U T T H E P L AY W R I G H T & A U T H O R
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A D A P T I N G T H E N OV E L
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P LO T S U M M A RY : S P O I L E R WA R N I N G !
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D E S I G N F E AT U R E
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ADDITIONAL LEARNING G LO S S A R Y O F T E R M I N O LO GY
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T H E R O L E O F C H R I S TO P H E R ’ S A U T I S M
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L EA R N M O R E A B O U T AU T I S M
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T H E C U R I O U S I N C I D E N T O F T H E D O G I N T H E N I G H T-T I M E / /
About the Playwright Simon Stephens Born in 1971, Simon Stephens is a prolific and award-winning playwright, whose notable works include Punk Rock (2009) and an adaptation of Brecht and Weill’s The Threepenny Opera (2016). He recently collaborated with director Ivo van Hov on Obsession (2017), a stage version of Luchino Visconti’s 1943 screenplay Ossessione. His adaptation of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time won seven Olivier Awards including Best Play in 2013. In 2015, the Broadway production of Curious Incident won five Tony Awards, including Best Play and Best Actor. Stephens has written more than 30 original plays and adaptations. Other award-winning works include Pornography (2008), which won the Critics Award for Theatre in Scotland; On the Shores of the Wide World, which garnered the Olivier Award in 2006; and Port, which won the Pearson Award for Best New Play in 2002. Photo of Simon Stephens by Alex Rumford.
About the Author Mark Haddon Mark Haddon, born in 1962, first made his mark as a writer and illustrator of children’s books. His many works for kids include the Agent Z series, from which Agent Z and Penguins from Mars was adapted into a sitcom for the BBC. As a young man, Haddon worked with autistic individuals, which provided inspiration for The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time. The first of his novels written for adults, it won the Whitbread Prize and the Commonwealth Writers’ Prize Best First Book. His subsequent works include A Spot of Bother (2006), The Red House (2012), and The Pier Falls and Other Stories (2016). He has also written screenplays for the BBC’s Fungus the Bogeyman (2006) and Coming Down the Mountain (2007). Mark Haddon teaches creative writing and lives in Oxford, England.
Adapting
THE NOVEL INTO A STAGE PLAY The novel The Curious Incident of The Dog in The Night-Time is written from the first-person perspective of Christopher. The author, Mark Haddon, believed it to be unadaptable for the stage, as Christopher is an unreliable narrator. Haddon describes the novel as being, “one person’s very insulated view of the world and one person’s profoundly mistaken view of the world. Because there are things Christopher doesn’t see, there are things he misinterprets so that the reader has to sort of read into his report to the world, things that are not there.” Playwright Simon Stephens changed the story into to a third-person narrative, in which Christopher’s teacher narrates the show, effectively creating a play-within-a play. Stephens praises the original material saying, “I think it’s a very adaptable novel because it’s about the things that Christopher does. As long as a story is about the things that people do to each other then they will always be dramatic. I cherish how active Christopher is and how dramatic the story [Haddon] told really is.” Quotes taken from “Curious on Stage” interview with Mark Haddon and Simon Stephens.
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Plot Summary WAR NI NG : SP O I LE R S AH E A D! ! !
A reworking of the original novel of the same name, The Curious Incident of The Dog in The Night-Time tells the story of 15-year-old, self-proclaimed detective, Christopher Boone. Christopher is a mathematical savant and, although never specified, he is on the autism spectrum. The young boy aims to solve the mystery of the neighbor’s dog who was found speared by a garden fork. In his attempts to find the murderer Christopher encounters resistance from his neighbors, especially his father Ed. He continues his investigation but when it is revealed that not only is his own father the killer, but he has been lying about his mother’s death, Christopher fears for his life. For the first time, he travels alone to London to find his mother. The trip is both stressful and overstimulating but successful. Christopher is reunited with his mother in London, but his ambitions eventually lead him back to Swindon. He sits for an A Level math exam and achieves the best possible result. In the end, Christopher eventually reconciles with his father. Christopher’s Epic 2nd Act Journey:
During the 2nd act of the play Christopher, who is only 15 years, 3 months, & 2 days old, leaves home and navigates an epic journey by himself more than 80 miles from his home in Swindon to the heart of London in search of his mother Judy traveling by train.
LONDON
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Design Feature Set Design by Kennedy Styron (they/them)
Kennedy “K” Styron is a locally based, all around theatre-maker. Over the past five years, K has worked with multiple DFW-area theaters in a variety of capacities ranging from performer to carpenter, and most disciplines of production and design. Recent credits include technical direction at The Acting Studio, performing with Giant Entertainment, and NTPA Rep, Set designer and master carpenter at ICT Mainstage. K is currently the Production Manager here at WaterTower, and has collaborated on WTT productions from conception to closing in many capacities over the last three years. K is especially thankful for the opportunity and trust from the producers, and to director Emily, for the artistic freedom to just come in and play. Enjoy the wild world we’ve created. “I miss what others catch, I catch what others miss.” It was important to me going into this that the audience be able to understand the world from inside Christopher’s own mental processes, serving as an observer of how, from the inside out, he builds his path through a world not necessarily made for people with heightened sensory systems.
T H E S E T F R O M T H E V I E W P O I N T O F T H E M AT C H B O X ,
P R O P B OX F RA M E
N OT I N C LU D I N G T H E P R O P B OX E S : .
What I designed is an environment full of uninviting right angles and narrow walkways. It extrudes, yet withdraws back on itself, utilizing stylized repetition and symmetry. The character’s prop boxes which also serve as moveable seating, all look identical, yet have subtle differences in the way they function, and all support a unique character track within the show. Once I began watching rehearsals, I was able to observe the actors as they navigated the set. Some actors had trouble with the moving boxes, others with the odd angled walls and steep steps. Yet some felt right at home finding their nook in the set or scaling the walls. What I had originally intended, but did not expect to happen, happened. That was a thrilling moment for me. While the concept of the playing area paralleling what the neurotypical world feels like for a person with autism was one of the foundations of the design, it was such a subtle idea that I did not know if it would have such a noticeable effect on the production. This set is fun; it is meant to surprise you. It is beautifully utilized and lifted up by the rest of the production design team and serves a special purpose to the message of the show. A creation that was originally a zero set, highly restricted covid-compliance concept, has navigated its way through the end of a pandemic, and evolved into what I call my own “problem solving brain playground.” I really relate to Christopher’s processes, and so hopefully there is also a glimmer of me in this set somewhere. I hope you enjoy this wonderfully curious journey.
B I R D ’ S EY E I N C LU D I N G P R O P B OX E S.
C O M P L E T E P R O P B OX
“If a child can't learn the way we teach, maybe we should teach the way they learn.” – I G N AC I O E ST RA DA
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Ma r k Ha ddon o n
the role Christopher’s autism plays
Glossary of Unfamiliar Terms:
i n T he Cur i o us I n ci den t of th e
A levels: The advanced level exams needed to leave school in the
United Kingdom. They are given in separate areas of study. In The Curious Incident, Christopher is taking the Maths A Levels. They are part of the General Certificate of Education, are national examinations, and like our College Boards or ACT, they are required for entrance into university. A to Z: A pocket-sized map guide to London.
Battenberg Cake: A sponge cake constructed to create a checkerboard pattern of pink and yellow layers when cut. Bed-sit: A one-room apartment that we would call a studio. Biscuit: Cookie British Rail: The English train system, which is much more
extensive and popular than our own Amtrak. Cashpoint card: A debit card Complan: Nutrition shake similar to an Ensure Invigilator: An exam proctor. Lemon squash: A carbonated drink made from a fruit syrup, in this case lemon. Lose my rag: To get angry or lose one’s temper. Marks & Spencer: A popular chain of department stores. In
slang, it is often called “Marks & Sparks.” Plonker: A fool. Tube: The London subway system. Trainers: Sneakers.
Do g i n t he N i g ht - T i me:
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If he were diagnosed, he would be diagnosed as having Asperger’s syndrome, which is a form of autism. I suppose you’d call it high-functioning autism in that he can function on, you know, a day-to-day basis, in a kind of rudimentary way. But he has a serious difficulty with life in that he really doesn’t empathize with other human beings. He can’t read their faces. He can’t put himself in their shoes. And he can’t understand anything more than the literal meaning of whatever’s said to him, although I’m very careful in the book not to actually use the word ‘Asperger’s’ or ‘autism.’ ... Because I don’t want him to be labelled, and because, as with most people who have a disability, I don’t think it’s necessarily the most important thing about him…. ”
– FROM A 2006 INTERVIEW WITH TERRY GROSS ON NPR’S FRESH AIR
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T U M B L R U S E R L E V I A N TA
A b ou t A u t is m s pe ctrum d isorde r: ( A M E R I C A N P S Y C H I AT R I C A S S O C I AT I O N )
Autism differs from person to person in severity and combinations of symptoms. Which is why it is referred to as a spectrum. There is a great range of abilities and characteristics of children with autism spectrum disorder — no two children appear or behave the same way. Symptoms can range from mild to severe and often change over time. ( S PA R K )
Special interests are one of the most common characteristics of people with autism. Historically, some interventions for autism have tried to limit them or use them largely as a reward for good behavior. But many people with autism consider these interests to be an important strength and a way to relieve stress. Some even expand on them to create a successful career. “The autistic selfadvocacy community says, ‘Don’t diminish this behavior, it’s a positive aspect of our lives,” Koenig says. “I think the professional community is slowly catching up.” ( AU T I ST I C S E L F A DVO C ACY N E TWO R K )
“We think differently. We may have very strong interests in things other people don’t understand or seem to care about. We might be great problem-solvers, or pay close attention to detail.” “We process our senses differently. We might be extra sensitive to things like bright lights or loud sounds. We might have trouble understanding what we hear or what our senses tell us.”
A ct ors on t he spe c trum: Dan Aykroyd, who said he was diagnosed when his wife urged him to see a doctor, cheerfully credited his Asperger’s with being responsible for his huge hit, Ghostbusters: “One of my symptoms included my obsession with ghosts and law enforcement—I carry around a police badge with me, for example. I became obsessed by Hans Holzer, the greatest ghost hunter ever. That’s when the idea of my film Ghostbusters was born.” (CHILD MIND INSTITUTE)
Daryl Hannah, who starred in such films as Blade Runner and Steel Magnolias, was diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder as a child. She hid her diagnosis from movie executives, but her debilitating shyness prevented her from doing talk shows or even attending her own movie premieres. Her disorder did not hold her back from having an illustrious career in film acting. (CHILD MIND INSTITUTE)
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L ea r n Mo r e w i t h t hese b oo k s : "The Reason I Jump" by Naoki Higoshida "Uniquely Human, A Different Way of Seeing Autism" by Barry M. Prizant
"Connecting With the Autism Spectrum: How to Talk, How to Listen, and Why You Shouldn't Call It High-Functioning" by Casey "Remrov" Vormer
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