The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time centres around Chris Boone, a 15-year-old who gets caught up in the mystery of her neighbour’s dog being found murdered. Chris is autistic and is navigating the world around her whilst undertaking self-decided detective work. The play explores Chris’s journey through this experience, including the relationships she has with her parents, teachers and neighbours. The play is adapted effectively by Simon Stephens from the original novel by Mark Haddon, released in 2003. There have already been several productions of this play and the author, Haddon, celebrates each new production team’s opportunity to experiment with fresh ideas.
The cast were excellent, embodying their characters effectively and believably. Chris (Alex Keenan) stole the show, offering a flawless performance through which the audience could easily empathise with what she was going through. Dad (Joe McFadden) and Mum (Charlie Brooks) were also excellent in their portrayals, creating a dynamic pair who bounced well off Chris.
The rest of the cast also delivered well-developed performances, including storyteller and teacher Siobhan (Bridgette Amofah), who anchored the play beautifully. By starting the performance as a story, the audience relaxed immediately into the world they were being welcomed into.
The colour palette of the production was beautifully warm and calming, with soft hues mixed with brighter colours, particularly in the costumes. The set was modernist in style, featuring blocks and raised platforms for the actors to engage with. The design demonstrated its adaptability, with the back platform transforming from a simple standing area into a tube-like structure. In some productions, a minimal set may not be engaging enough for the audience, but here it worked flawlessly in combination with the lighting, which showcased the set’s versatility and effectiveness. As a result, although the design was minimalist, it never felt empty.
A large part of the production’s impact came from the well-utilised screen at the back of the stage, which enabled key moments and thoughts to be shared, at times mirroring the thoughts within Chris’s mind.
There were beautiful moments that felt almost like works of art, such as rain falling behind the main character and creating a sombre atmosphere that perfectly complemented the plot.
A significant aspect of the production was its acrobatic elements. The cast not only took on the roles of objects and pieces of scenery but also used movement to convey the emotions of the main character, Chris.
The pet rat, Toby, was wonderfully utilised and carefully looked after by the cast. The puppeteers treated him as a living part of the company, which made Toby feel real to the audience and highlighted his importance to Chris.
The play deals with a range of hard-hitting topics, from death and family dynamics to navigating the world as a neurodivergent person. Interestingly, this version has made Chris female, adapting the originally male protagonist from the novel. This opens up further insightful discussion, as noted in the programme, about the importance of providing authentic representation of a neurodivergent teenage girl.
The play is well worth seeing and will draw audiences into Chris’s journey, not only through the events unfolding in her life but also through its impressive production values and memorable theatrical moments.
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time runs from Tuesday 3rd to Saturday 7th November 2026, https://www.atgtickets.com/venues/liverpool-empire/whats-on/
Reviewer: Beth Easton
Reviewed: 3rd November 2026
North West End UK Rating: