Curious Incident Wins Big At Tony Awards, West End Production Releases Over 120,000 New Tickets For Sale
Posted on 8 June 2015
The National Theatre’s production of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time was one of the big winners at last night’s prestigious Tony Awards held at the Radio City Music Hall in New York (7 June 2015), winning 5 awards: Best New Play - Simon Stephens, Best Direction of a Play - Marianne Elliott, Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Play - Alex Sharp as Christopher Boone, Best Lighting Design of a Play – Paule Constable and Best Scenic Design of a Play – Bunny Christie and Finn Ross.
With the release of 120,000 new The Curious Incident Of The Dog In The Night-Time tickets today (8 June 2015) for the West End production, this takes booking at the Gielgud Theatre through to 13 February 2016.
The Curious Incident Of The Dog In The Night-Time, which started life at the National Theatre’s Cottesloe Theatre in 2012, transferred to the West End in 2013 (winning seven Olivier Awards including Best New Play) and is now simultaneously running at the Gielgud Theatre in London’s West End, on Broadway at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre and on tour in the UK and Ireland.
Rufus Norris, Director, National Theatre, said: “All of us at the National are hugely proud of the ongoing achievements of this beautiful show, affirming once again the huge importance of the public subsidy of the arts in Britain.”
Marianne Elliott, Director of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, said: “I’m absolutely thrilled and honoured that we have won five Tony Awards, and that our show has been as embraced by audiences in New York, as it has been in London and on our tour in the UK and Ireland. When we first started working on this show we had no idea whether there would be an audience for it. We were all working outside our comfort zones, all trying to do something we believed in utterly but which meant taking risks. It was incredible to see the audience at the National Theatre, then for that to grow in to the West End. To have even the slightest idea that it would go to Broadway, let alone to win these awards is incredible.”
Simon Stephens, playwright said: “It's been an incredible collaboration and the fact the show has been received this well in New York means the world to me.’”
Alex Sharp, who plays Christopher Boone on Broadway, said: “To be a part of this universal show on Broadway but under the umbrella of the National Theatre, a name I grew up knowing and admiring, is a profound honour to say the least.”
Paule Constable, lighting designer, added: “Winning the Tony for best lighting for Curious is completely overwhelming. Curious is a celebration of collaboration - between all of us as a creative team - and with the audiences and the community of Broadway. The way audiences have taken this show to their hearts is life affirming. I am so proud of what we all achieved - of the whole company - and of all the people who convinced us that this could work and help to steer us. We had no idea we would end up here!” Bunny Christie, set and costume designer, said: “The success of this show could never have happened without the teams at the National Theatre and I am really proud of this big wonderful company” and Finn Ross, video designer added: “For the show to be taken onboard like this is an incredible honour and I am deeply touched.”
The production has been hugely successful during this year’s Broadway theatre awards season in New York, also winning 5 Outer Critics Circle Awards, including Outstanding New Broadway Play and 6 Drama Desk awards including Outstanding Play.
From 22 June 2015, Sion Daniel Young joins the West End cast to play the lead role of Christopher Boone. Rebecca Lacey plays Siobhan with Nicolas Tennant continuing as Ed, Mary Stockley joins as Judy, Jacqueline Clarke as Mrs Alexander, Indra Ové as Mrs Shears, Stephen Beckett as Roger Shears, Matthew Trevannion as Mr Thompson, Pearl Mackie as No. 40/Punk Girl, Sean McKenzie as Reverend Peters and Kaffe Keating will play alternate Christopher. They are joined by Mark Rawlings and Penelope McGhie who continue with the company and Naomi Said and Simon Victor.
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.
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time is adapted by Simon Stephens, from Mark Haddon’s best-selling novel, directed by Marianne Elliott, designed 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.
