THE CURIOUS INCIDENT OF THE DOG IN THE NIGHT-TIME
by Simon Stephens based on the novel by Mark Haddon
February 26-March 20, 2027
Directed by Meg Gibson
Producers: Bill Hammond, Michael Hiller
What the play is about:
The play is based on the novel by Mark Hadden. Set in London and Swindon, UK, the story concerns 15-year-old Christopher John Francis Boone, a mathematical genius who may be on the autism spectrum. The “curious incident” is the mystery surrounding the death of Wellington, his neighbour’s poodle.
While trying to discover who killed Wellington, he encounters resistance from many neighbours, but mostly from his widowed father, Ed. Christopher argues to himself that many rules are made to be broken, so he continues to search for an answer. During his investigation, Christopher happens across letters from his mother, Judy, dated after her alleged death, which leads to awkward discussions and admissions from his father.
Distraught and fearing for his life, Christopher heads to London to find and live with his mother, traveling by himself for the first time in his life. He finds the journey overstimulating and stressful, but eventually succeeds and is welcomed by his mother. His ambitions lead him back to Swindon, where he wants to sit an A Level mathematics exam. Christopher achieves the best possible result and gradually reconciles with his father.
About Simon Stephens, the playwright/adaptor:
Simon Stephens (born 1971) is a British-Irish playwright, musician and Professor of Scriptwriting at Manchester Metropolitan University. Having taught on the Young Writers’ Programme at the Royal Court Theatre for many years, he is now an Artistic Associate at the Lyric Hammersmith. He is the inaugural Associate Playwright of Steep Theatre Company, Chicago, where five of his plays, Harper Regan, Motortown, Wastwater, Birdland, and Light Falls had their U.S. premieres. His writing is widely performed throughout Europe and, along with Dennis Kelly and Martin Crimp, he is one of the most performed English-language writers in Germany. Stephens lives in London with his wife and three children. They have three cats, a snake, a capybara, and a cockapoo named Gilbert & George. “I think I only really discovered the reason we got G&G after we got him. It’s the extraordinary spiritual energy of having something in the house that just loves us all unequivocally. To be really loved is special. Also, for my younger son, it’s hard to be a boy who can express love and vulnerability and need, but he can do it with a dog. He just holds the dog and can just say that he loves this thing and that’s really useful for a 17-year-old boy to be able to do. Gilbert & George has bonded us; this completely shared love we have for this little dog is just really beautiful.”
About Mark Haddon, the novelist
Mark Haddon (born 1962 in Northampton, England) had been best known as an accomplished children’s author, with 15 books to his name. . . until 2003, when he wrote The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, which won the Whitbread Award, the Dolly Gray Children’s Literature Award, the Guardian Prize, and a Commonwealth Writers’ Prize. The book was also long-listed for the 2003 Man Booker Prize. It was printed in 32 countries and 15 languages, receiving widespread acclaim for his depiction of Christopher Boone, hailed as a truly fresh and original voice in contemporary fiction. Haddon claimed that this was the first book that he wrote intentionally for an adult audience; he was surprised when his publisher suggested marketing it to both adult and child audiences (it has been very successful with adults and children alike). Other adult fiction includes A Spot of Bother, which presents a comedic yet poignant look at family crises. His work often reflects ordinary people’s struggles, akin to the novels of Jane Austen. Haddon has also ventured into television and poetry, showcasing his versatile writing skills. Despite facing health challenges that affected his writing in recent years, he continues to be celebrated for his unique voice and the depth of his characters.
Meg Gibson, director
Meg got an early start in community theatre doing backstage “tech stuff” in Scarborough when she was 13. She says of those days: “I’m a theatre brat, so I came around to rehearsals because it was cheaper than a babysitter. I would do my homework but I was also paying attention.” She started acting soon after and hasn’t stopped since. Village Players’ audiences will remember her from appearances on-stage as Germaine Lauzon in Les Belles Soeurs (2016) and Kim in The Willow Quartet (2014).
Meg’s resume shows how her early interests continued to expand; it includes a BFA degree in drama from University of Calgary, and experience in choreography, fight coordination, sound design, stage management, and teaching drama and dance.
Meg has not only acted elsewhere (including The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time for Scarborough Players), she has also directed: comedy (Caught in the Net), suspense (Death Trap), and musicals (You’ll Get Used to It: War Show, and Oklahoma!) She has been nominated for an ACT-CO award as best director in a musical and also shared the award for best set design.
Meg’s first time directing for us was the comedy Stag and Doe, our second last show in 2020 before the pandemic struck. She had already been selected to direct the final show of the following season: Gloria’s Guy. That was canceled, of course, but in its place Meg acted in and directed some of our zoom play-readings, and offered several Monologue workshops to both veteran and hopeful actors. She finally directed Gloria’s Guy in 2022.
Village Players 