Saturday 17th January 2015 2.30pm
I'm going to start this review by saying I have nothing bad to say about this play. Being a theatre graduate I can't help but critique every play I see so however much I've enjoyed a play there's usually something I can pinpoint that could be improved, but not this one.
It follows a teenage boy with learning difficulties as he takes it upon himself to investigate the murder of his neighbour's dog Wellington and along the way he discovers a lot more than he bargained for and his whole world as he knows it starts to unravel.
Having read the book by Mark Haddon I knew the story and thought that the play could really be a big flop if it wasn't done well. But boy did they do well. The actors, set, lighting and sound were all merged as one almost unnoticeably. I always think that a sign you've seen a really good play is when you leave and you actually find it difficult to separate all the different elements.
The day we saw it the understudy, Chris Ashby was playing the main part of Christopher Boone. I wouldn't have known he was the understudy if I hadn't read the programme and I can't imagine that Joshua Jenkins who usually plays Christopher could be any better than Ashby was. He was flawless. I'm not going to say too much about how his portrayal of someone with Asperger Syndrome was, as I don't think there can be a generalisation of what a person with Asperger Syndrome is supposed to be like, but the continuity of the mannerisms and habits that he chose to characterise was faultless. My absolute favourite mannerism, which I know was taken from the book was Christopher touching palms with his dad and mum, which was a small but powerful gesture.
All of the acting was brilliant and the way the ensemble worked together was extremely fluid. When I read beforehand that the movement had been directed by Scott Graham and Steven Hoggett from Frantic Assembly I had high expectations! My expectations were definitely fulfilled as the movement of the ensemble was the most natural thing. It seemed normal to me that people were acting as chairs or doors, another sign of a good play!
The set was so functional and another thing that just naturally merged into the production. The set incorporated the entrances and exits to the stage, cupboards from which props were smoothly incorporated into scenes by ensemble members and an interactive floor/wall so that the audience could see a projected version of what Christoper draws on the floor.
On reflection the lighting and sound were a lot more complicated than they seemed when watching. The fact that these elements were made to seem simple is yet another sign of a good play! The sound was completely in time with the actions of the ensemble and the lighting followed them across the stage perfectly. The lighting was quite stark, reflecting the harsh reality of the play.
The stylised dramaturgy of the production perfectly reflected the book, in the way that this is an unusual yet realistic story told from the point of view of a boy with learning difficulties. You could really see the world through Christopher's eyes and I believe that is what made it so beautiful.
This play is well worth seeing and the tour is currently continuing around the country until 7th November this year. If you do go, make sure you stay until after the curtain has closed to watch Christoper solve his A level maths paper!
