At Spreckels Theatre Company
Runs in Rohnert Park through Sept. 30, 2018

When 15-year-old Christopher is discovered kneeling over the body of a dog killed with a

gardening fork, it’s easy for others to assume he had something to do with the death, especially as his responses to questioning are oddly literal and unhelpful. And he screams when anyone touches him. So begins one of the most heralded plays of recent years, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, presented by Spreckels Theatre Company in its area premiere. This is a challenging and ambitious piece, given its technological and physical demands. STC does it excellent, admirable justice, especially owing to a talented ensemble led by the remarkable Elijah Pinkham as young Christopher.

Based on the 2003 book by Mark Haddon, Stephens’ play creates a play-within-a-play context, and won numerous Oliviers when it first opened in London in 2013, and more awards on Broadway in 2014. The play shifts from the first person of the book, but tries to retain the feeling of being inside the mind of a young man with who appears to have a behavioral disorder (no specific diagnosis is ever stated).

We quickly begin to pick up on aspects of Christopher’s (Pinkham) behavior—he is brilliant in math, thinking and speaking literally, incapable of lying, and fearful of germs through touching or strange bathrooms. But he’s also a feeling youth, apparently capable of love for his parents (David Yen and Bronwen Shears), for his pet rat, and for his teacher/mentor Siobhan (Gina Alvarado). …

To continue reading about this production, go to Talkin’ Broadway:
The Curious Incident…