THE CURIOUS INCIDENT OF THEDOG IN THE NIGHT–TIME
AT THE GIELGUD THEATRE
Production photos of new West End cast now available:
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/cwv0g0v48ndmeiz/AAB9bRUdzXVR5Er6GKETLROia?dl=0
The new cast of the National Theatre’s hugely successful Olivier and Tony Award-winning production of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, led by newcomer Joseph Ayre as Christopher Boone, have begun performances at the Gielgud Theatre, Shaftesbury Avenue, London. Tickets are now on sale for the production until 18 February 2017.
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time is adapted by Simon Stephens from Mark Haddon’s best-selling book and directed by Marianne Elliott, Associate Director of the National Theatre. Marianne, who is the co-director of the NT’s hugely successful War Horse, will direct the much anticipated Angels in America for the company next year. Designs for Curious are by Bunny Christie with lighting by Paule Constable, video design by Finn Ross, movement by Scott Graham and Steven Hoggett for Frantic Assembly, music by Adrian Sutton and sound by Ian Dickinson for Autograph. The Associate Director for this production is Elle While
Joining Joseph Ayre in the central role of Christopher Boone are: Jo Castleton as his teacher Siobhan, Nicolas Tennant continuing as Ed, Sarah Stanley as Judy, Jacqueline Clarke continuing as Mrs Alexander, Amanda Posener as Mrs Shears, Ross Waiton as Roger Shears, Matthew Trevannion as Mr Thompson, Gemma Knight Jones as No.40/Punk Girl, David Nellist as Reverend Peters, and nineteen year old Thomas Dennis is the alternate Christopher (the youngest actor ever to play Christopher). They are joined by Charleen Qwaye, Philip Stewart and Matt Wilman as well as Penelope McGhie who will continue with the company.
Joseph Ayre comes to the National Theatre’s production of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time direct from a three year undergraduate course at East 15 Acting School.
Joseph, who was born and bred in Hull said: ‘I’m so excited about playing Christopher Boone in The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time and taking on the challenge of one of the most complex and interesting characters in the West End. This is my first acting job out of drama school and taking on this role with the National Theatre really is a dream come true for me.’
Christopher, fifteen years old, stands besides Mrs Shears’ dead dog. It has been speared with a garden fork, it is seven minutes after midnight and Christopher is under suspicion. He records each fact in a book he is writing to solve the mystery of who murdered Wellington. He has an extraordinary brain, and is exceptional at maths while ill-equipped to interpret everyday life. He has never ventured alone beyond the end of his road, he detests being touched and distrusts strangers. But his detective work, forbidden by his father, takes him on a frightening journey that upturns his world.
Mark Haddon is an author, illustrator and screenwriter who has written fifteen books for children and won two BAFTAs. His bestselling novel, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time, was published simultaneously by Jonathan Cape and David Fickling in 2003. It won seventeen literary prizes, including the Whitbread Award. His poetry collection, The Talking Horse and the Sad Girl and the Village Under the Sea, was published by Picador in 2005, and his last novel, The Red House, was published by Jonathan Cape in 2012. His latest book is The Pier Falls, a collection of stories. He lives in Oxford.
Simon Stephens’ new translation ofThe Threepenny Opera, directed by Rufus Norris with Rory Kinnear as Macheath is currently running in the NT’s Olivier Theatre. His other plays for the National Theatre include: Port(originally produced at the Royal Exchange and directed by Marianne Elliott) at the National Theatre’s Lyttelton Theatre,Harper ReganandOn the Shore of the Wide World(co-production with Royal Exchange, Manchester: Olivier Award for Best New Play).His many other plays include Carmen Disruption, Heisenberg, Birdland,Blindsided,Three Kingdoms,Wastwater, Punk Rock, Seawall, Pornography, Country Music, ChristmasandHerons,A Thousand Stars Explode in the Sky(co-written with Robert Holman and David Eldridge), an adaptation of Jon Fosse’sI Am the WindandMotortown. His version ofA Doll’s Housefor the Young Vic transferred to the West End and then New York in 2014. Simon is an Associate at the Lyric, Hammersmith and The Royal Court Theatre.
The current cast continues their run at the Gielgud Theatre until 18 June 2016.
Notes to Editors
· Production images
Production images for the production’s current cast at the Gielgud Theatre are available from:
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/cwv0g0v48ndmeiz/AAB9bRUdzXVR5Er6GKETLROia?dl=0
· Gielgud Theatre Listings Information
Address: Gielgud Theatre, Shaftesbury Avenue, London W1D 6AR
Dates: Booking to 18 February 2017
Performances: Monday to Saturday at 7.30pm, Thursday and Saturday at 2.30pm
Ticket prices from £18 (100 seats at £18 for every performance)
Concessions are available on selected performances.
In addition, an allocation of £15 Day Seats are available for every performance from the Gielgud Theatre box office from 10am
Box Office:National Theatre: 020 7452 3000
Online at www.nationaltheatre.org.uk
(National Theatre: No fee for online bookings; A £2.50 transaction fee applies to individual tickets purchased by phone.)
Gielgud Theatre Box Office, No booking fee, 0844 482 5130
Online fromwww.delfontmackintosh.co.uk
(Delfont Mackintosh Theatres:: No fee for online or phone bookings.)
· A second UK and Ireland tour of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time begins at The Lowry in Salford in January 2017. The tour continues to: Aylesbury, Edinburgh, Leeds, Canterbury, Bath, Southampton, Nottingham, Belfast, Dublin, Cardiff, Oxford, Bristol, Plymouth, Birmingham, Liverpool, Bradford, Glasgow, and finishing in Milton Keynes on 16 September 2017. (Further dates and venues to be announced)
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For further press information on The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time
Contact: Nada Zakula, National Theatre Productions
+ 44 (0) 20 7452 3046 or +44 (0) 7831 766086
Twitter: @curiousonstage
Instagram: @curious_incident
#curiousincident
www.curiousonstage.com
Date of issue: 29 June 2016