By Eva Trieger
SAN DIEGO – In anticipation of San Diego Rep’s next mainstage production, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, I spoke by phone with Artistic Director, Todd Salovey. I had the magnificent opportunity to speak with him after the first reading as a company, and his insights and observations served as the basis for our call.
Salovey told me he has now read the book “about six times” and feels that the character, ideas and inner dialogue of Christopher, the 15-year-old protagonist, are successfully and brilliantly captured by playwright, Simon Stephens. This is essential to understanding the story, which reveals that through Christopher’s unique cognitive and neurological make-up he is not your average 15-year-old. His impetus is to find the true killer of his neighbor’s dog, a crime of which he is suspected.
According to international bestselling novelist, Mark Haddon, the term “Asperger’s” and “autistic” are eschewed and replaced by “a person with behavioral problems,” per Christopher’s words in the novel. This idea of labeling anyone demeans and minimizes the complexity and range of that person. Salovey expressed much the same idea. I asked him if this play has changed the way he sees neurodiversity. “This play has absolutely changed my view. I see, in Christopher, the extraordinary. The way he notices everything. Most people glance…he sees everything.” The Rep’s Artistic Director also reported that it caused him to reevaluate how to make the theater, or your home, accessible to the differently-abled. It forever dashed the idea that “one size fits all.” This new understanding of wanting to make San Diego Rep more inviting and embracing has ignited Salovey’s passion for making this theater an even greater icon and trendsetter for our theater community.
From just the first reading, Salovey felt as though he was actually seeing the play. With such an amazing cast, I cannot say I’m too surprised. Iain Kohn portrays Christopher. This talented actor began reciting poetry at age fourteen, but honed his acting craft with the Greenway Court Theater, in Los Angeles, where he performed the role of Christopher. He identified with the character’s proclivities and was able to share that authentically, with audiences. Iain described his own experience of Asperger’s syndrome and how it has informed his acting.
The entire stellar cast features many of San Diego’s finest actors. Christopher’s father, Ed, is played by Nicholas Mongiardo Cooper, who last appeared at the Rep in House of Dreams. One of my most favorite actors, Amanda Wallace, fills the role of Christopher’s mother, Judy. Christopher’s teacher, Siobhan, is played by Los Angelenos, Devereau Chumrau, who last appeared at SDRep in House of Joy just before the pandemic shut everything down. Additionally, gifted actors include Anthony Adu, Grayson Heyl, Jada Owens, Vanessa Dinning and Richard Jessie Johnson.
Salovey shared that due to Christopher’s guilelessness, there are many funny moments as well. In fact, the underlying message of this play, and the theme which SD Rep hopes audiences will take home, is that we all have perceived limitations that we can overcome, just as Christopher does. He goes on a journey, faces challenges, and surmounts them. This is something to which every one of us can relate.
I would be remiss if I did not mention how the choreography in this play allows the audience to better know and understand Christopher. Thanks to the imagination and innovative kinesiology of Stephen Buescher, we are able to take Christopher’s journey with him and experience his anxiety, observations, and perspicacity.
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time will be showing at San Diego Rep’s Lyceum theater from January 6-30th. Tickets may be purchased online via boxoffice@sdrep.org or by phone at 619.544.1000.
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Eva Trieger is a freelance writer specializing in coverage of the arts. She may be contacted via eva.trieger@sdjewishworld.com