Maria Carolina Martins
If there is one thing Saint Maur is good at is production. For many years now, our school has put on a series of successful plays that often leave the audience at a loss for words. Although I only watched the last two, I can say that The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time is no different and is most certainly to be remembered for years to come.
This incomparable production was composed not only of wonderfully creative stagecraft, immersive sound and lighting, and heartbreaking acting but also of an impeccable and talented cast and crew that managed to tell the emotional story of 15-year-old Christopher Boone in such a delicate and heartfelt manner that left me and many others attending the spectacle in true awe. I must mention that I even saw some teary eyes during some of the more emotional scenes, so we can say that this show really touched those who saw it.
The Cast
The casting was on point. From the smallest part of a policeman, to the main actors who did an amazing job at portraying raw and real emotions through their characters, each character contributed to building the story, background, and surroundings of Christopher’s life very realistically. You don’t really expect to watch a high school play and see this level of acting and emotional portrayal. The actors greatly impressed the audience and surpassed all expectations.
The decision to cast two different people to play the protagonist, Christopher, was not only an incredibly clever idea to show the transformation of Christopher as the play moves from Act One to Act Two, but also gave us the opportunity to experience the character through the interpretation of two brilliant actors: Luke (G10) and Yuta (G11). Both actors did a wonderful job, experimenting and adding their own style to the character while also managing to be consistent with Christopher’s character and personality. They researched well and committed themselves to portraying a character on the spectrum in a way that never felt degrading or mocking, but rather very realistic and respectful. Both actors made sure to not use stereotypical behavior, which is often seen in the media.
Behind the Scenes
This production was quite different from some in the past. This year, just like the Broadway version of this play, the audience was cozily placed on the stage, so the amount of seats available was significantly diminished. This created a connection between the characters and the audience, and worked well in helping us experience the events more closely as if we were also participating in Christopher’s adventure. Another curious thing about the production is that actors were on stage at all times, except when costume changes were needed.
This brilliant result was not only, however, the work of the cast. Many other students were working in the background to make sure this play could run smoothly and the story could be told the way it was intended. Props were carefully curated and gathered, including Christopher’s rat, train, all the things he found inside the boxes, the letters, and many others. A big crew of light, sound, and stage followed along with the play so that the lights, sounds, and music go at the proper time, all of which are essential in building the story. Last but certainly not least, the music was originally composed by a Saint Maur student, Iori (Read more on page 5!). This brought to the play a sense of originality and perfectly transmitted what Christopher’s mind looks like from the inside. All this work and creative ideas were put into practice and created a beautiful atmosphere that helped move the story along and transport the audience to Christopher’s world and adventure in the UK.
Direction
This show most definitely would not have been the same without its wonderful director Mr. G. He has been directing Saint Maur’s productions for the longest time (20 years and counting) and has managed to put on many wonderful productions in the past. I had the pleasure of interviewing him for his post-show opinions and insights.
Mr. G said that his “primary goal was to create an environment where the audience could see the world the way that Christopher does.” By doing so, he wanted to make sure the audience was given space to “empathize with him and other people who are neurodiverse.” In his opinion, the immersive space combined with the lighting, sound, projection, and the “fantastic work of the actors” is what made this possible.
Productions of this magnitude often mean that challenges must be overcome. In his case, Mr. G. mentioned that one of the biggest problems faced was “the movement sequences and the integration of the design elements with the acting.” Movement practices were exhaustive to make sure they were “a) safe and b) convincing.” He added that “the crew worked incredibly hard in conjunction with the cast to blend all of the elements together.”
On the brighter side, projects often create cherished and rewarding memories for the people who participate in them. Mr. G. said he was proudest seeing everything come together in the final rehearsals and performances. He made special mention of the two back-to-back performances on Saturday. “The cast and crew managed to sustain their energy and deliver two extremely powerful performances with only a twenty-minute break in between,” he added. Impressive work and commitment, in my opinion.
The feedback has been quite positive, and for the director, it wasn’t any different. He mentioned that “two people (one who has seen six Saint Maur shows and one who has seen every Saint Maur show I have directed for the past 20 years!) have said it was their favorite high school drama club performance ever.” He added that it feels especially gratifying to see how moved people seem to be by Christopher’s journey. This is not only a win for the production but for the world as a whole. Having productions that talk about stigmatized topics such as autism helps raise awareness and break the taboo, especially when done in such a delicate and careful way like this production.
Finally, Mr. G talked a bit about his final considerations about the play and things he would like to have made differently – “I wish we had been able to integrate the technical elements a little sooner but it is so difficult with everyone’s extremely busy schedules.” However, given the constraints of time and resources, he feels that “[the group] was able to put on a very effective and powerful show.”
This is one play to be remembered. I am very glad I had the opportunity to witness the work of these talented people and hope you were able to enjoy it as well. For the future of Saint Maur’s drama, I expect productions to be nothing less than The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time. This work is truly inspiring and shows what can be done when creative and committed people work together to create. Let’s hope that in the future, productions like this which promote the art and creativity of our brilliant students will continue to be incentivized and supported, because we know that talent mixed with the right motivation and encouragement can result in wonder. Congratulations to the cast, crew, and Mr. G, you all did a wonderful job and indelibly left your mark on this production.