iTunes Exclusive Episode The Curious Incident Of The Dog In The Night-Time

1.
Greetings, Empire member and or members.
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another iTunes exclusive.
The 250 first one of these things, we've reached over the quarter century mark.
So we're into the second quarter century, if you will.
Welcome, my name is Rob.
I am the executive producer of the clubhouse podcast and I'm a curious sort of telecutory.
But I'm not alone for this particular edition during me across the desk as he tends
to do is my co-host and a man who's wife sounds like she's running on that.
He is chat.
Welcome, sir.
Honestly, thought we were going to avoid that no better than that.
Also across the desk for me is the official fact checker of this show and a man who has
never been called an atomic dog in his life.
You may know him as fun, don't go, but his mom and even don't want to call him
Don Ford.
Welcome, sir.
What is an atomic dog?
You've never heard a atomic dog.
Yeah.
George Clinton.
Off air.
Okay.
Wolf Wolf.
We'll have to hit him off air.
God help you.
God help you.
Two minutes in, people.
Two minutes in.
We have to start somewhere.
Wow.
It's starting to ditch.
Whatever we do one of these things, it is to review something and this particular
episode is no exception.
But in this today, I say, but in this episode, we are reviewing a stage production.
It is called the curious incident of the dog in the nighttime.
But before we start this episode, we have to think one of our favorite ladies of the show.
We do.
We do.
We do.
We do.
We do.
We do.
Rate slubs, comment and look at stuff, and review it.
So, let's get into the scene.
This is based on a book that was written by Mark Haden in 2003 brought to the stage a few
years later, actually he's r który nu ses structures and it's the record holder
from the Alivе Awards which is British Tony's.
One-seven of them.
God, Lee.
But this is not a musical.
This is a full-blown regular basic stage production.
There's no singing, no necoreography,
and the traditional sense.
True.
There is choreography, but not, yeah.
But as I was reading the history on this,
I don't know how deep you went into the history of this thing.
Deep is like good.
Did you know that in one of its incarnations in Britain,
it was done in the round?
No, I didn't see it.
But that's thinking for a minute.
I mean, I can see that, but it's in stark contrast
of what we see.
Right.
And I think in contrast to what we saw,
I don't know what I would have liked it as much.
I can't imagine it, like imagine the Peter Pan 360 thing.
And, you know, right, that's something that kind of...
I can imagine where they could go with it.
But, you know, so let's get into the story.
The story takes place around Christopher John Francis Boone.
He's 15 years old.
He has some form of autism,
but it's never quite said what he has.
It's never specified in the book or in the play.
Either one.
You know, what you do a little research,
you find out what he's apparently afflicted with.
Apparently, but it's never necessarily that.
It's never specifically addressed.
We open, as you walk into the theater,
you actually see the dog in question.
It is his neighbor's dog that has a garden fork stuck through it.
Right in the middle of the stage.
For the first thing he even starts, yeah.
Which apparently has been changed.
Really, the breed has definitely changed.
Apparently in the book, in the original book, it's a big poodle.
Oh, okay.
It's like a giant black poodle.
This is like some sort of a retriever of some sort.
As the show begins, and it begins abruptly.
Yeah.
Very loud.
Yes.
Christopher is sitting by the dog.
Finds out this is neighbor's dog.
The neighbor sees him with the dead dog.
Thanks.
He did it.
He did not.
So he decides that he's going to become a junior detective
and try to figure out who killed this dog.
Now he lives with his father Ed.
His mother has passed away.
So it's just the two of them living life.
Doing the thing.
He goes to school.
He has a very special class that he sits in.
But math is kind of his thing.
Yes.
So once he decides to become a detective,
then this whole thing unravels.
And that's kind of as deep as I want to go because if you really tell
any more of this story, you're giving away a lot.
The stage set up for this.
The first thing I thought when we walked in is,
oh, it's the holiday from Star Trek.
I told you I said, I'm going to do motion capture work here.
It's 10 by 10 grids forming four different walls
including the floor.
And it is a perfect cube.
There are lights around it.
Very reminiscent of something Kubrick would do.
OK, so it's not just me.
OK, there are a number of doors in the grids
and compartments in the grids that kind of work
into how this works.
There's a lot of LED lights in the grid as well.
Technologically, this thing is pretty awesome.
It looked like a stage in portal.
If you're, if anyone is looking at that,
it looks a lot like that.
From a props standpoint, it reminded me,
and Donna, no, you'll probably back me up on this.
Remind me a little bit of once.
We're from a props standpoint.
There's not a lot of props going on.
Some of the props were the cast themselves.
Very minimal.
Very minimal.
That stand point.
Minimal, this was the where they kept up.
But even though the two productions are apples and oranges,
they couldn't have had that in common for me.
And it also had, it's a big production
where they small stage feel.
Because one of the things that you said to me
during the intermission as we were talking about
what we had seen so far, and it runs about two and a half hours
or just a 15 minute intermission.
That use, you were wondering if this could have been better
served in a place like the Wiley,
which I disagreed with just because from a spacing standpoint.
But it had that small theater feel to it,
but you still needed a lot of stage to pull off what they pulled off.
Yeah, it's staging at the way they stage it.
It would be possible to stage that in the Wiley.
But something a little bit more intimate, I think it could probably be certain.
There's also a difference where the book is all told in first person.
They changed it for the stage production
where he's written a book about his experiences up to a certain point.
And his teacher is reading the book.
So it's kind of a play with a play kind of a thing.
Right.
Because I kind of froze you a little bit.
This did play on Broadway for a while.
It did end its Broadway run in September.
Also, it just ended 800.
I think it said performances.
So it's pretty good for one.
Yes.
And it did win a Tony for best play in 2015.
So there's a lot going on here.
Uh, if I have to use one word overall, riveting.
Yes.
Like I just wasn't sure going in how if I was going to be engaged with this thing.
I tried to know as little as I could about it as did I.
I kind of skimmed the Wikipedia page.
I didn't really read a lot of it.
There's some things I didn't know.
Okay.
So it's not a musical.
It's like I've got that going for me.
You know, okay.
So I had to go to ATC Pack.org.
Which is their website.
Okay.
I didn't know that.
I just don't know.
Which is their website.
Which is where I found the runtime and all that good stuff.
And you kind of get the impression just by looking at the printed material that
it almost comes off like it's going to be some sort of a lighthearted comedy.
Not so much.
No, it is not.
Not so much.
This is not for the kids.
No.
Although all the older high school kids may be.
Well, that would be the minimum I'd put at.
Interestingly enough, the author when he wrote this book right.
Two different versions of it.
Right.
This is not the kids version of that book.
New.
So when you have a set like this that yes, there's a lot of technology involved.
But it's still fairly minimalist.
You really have to rely on a solid cast.
Much less a solid lead.
And my because the character of Christopher has to carry this entire thing.
Because it is literally his story.
And there are two different guys playing it.
Where we saw it was Adam Langdon destroyed.
Oh, my God.
And a good way.
This guy was absolutely amazing.
Don, I think you would agree with me on that.
Oh, yeah.
If you write my written review, www.com.
That's actually our website.
I put on there that he hit it all the park.
Yeah.
He made this thing.
I mean, there were some great supporting roles.
But how he was able to interact and the characters interact and how they fit.
Each other was incredible.
But this guy, he made this show.
Was he ever not on stage ever?
I really can't.
I'm picking my brain trying to think of him.
Of a scene that he wasn't involved in.
A couple of moments.
Maybe, I mean, not even 30 seconds.
Yeah.
How this thing is kind of weird is, you know, you're talking about the background and the props and everything.
But the.
It seems supposed to be.
But then as the thing goes, how they're able to use the LEDs.
And he go from location location really blew me up.
Yeah.
And it really helps in the aspect that I put on there.
This is two different style of plays.
Yep.
Because it's a play within a play.
Because you got.
See that in real world.
Mm-hmm.
But you're also seeing.
They're trying to show you this story through the eyes of Christopher who has autism.
Right.
And I think the cool thing about that is even the stage set works into that.
Because everything has its place.
Everything has its order, which is who he is.
And there's also a certain form of closeness that he feels because he doesn't want to be touched.
He does, you know, it freaks him out when you touch him.
And there's a closeness to everything that's going on.
That's that is palpable isolation as the audience is going through this journey with him.
Which I thought was also a brilliant stroke done by the production crew here.
And this, I mean, this is also truly, truly, truly.
And ensemble piece.
Because people are playing multiple roles and doing so very fluidly.
Yes.
I mean, there were times when I was like, oh, that person was that person.
And it wasn't one of these, oh, that guy put on a hat and now he's like somebody else.
Like, there were physical changes to the people, not just costume wise,
which I think fit this really well too.
Yes.
This entire cast is rock solid.
But you're going to talk about Jean Gillette who plays his father Ed.
He gets my nonleading shadow role.
Absolutely.
To play a man who's a single father who has to be a father to this to his son.
But at the same time, has to do certain things differently due to the condition his son has.
And he really translates that well.
But you've, you felt Ed's pain in this performance.
There's so much great going on here.
A Felicity Jones, a lot of awesome.
I'm also a big fan of Francesca Choy key in this.
Who plays four or five different roles.
He uses actually different accents for some of the different characters.
Yeah.
I thought she was very, very beautiful.
It was really weird as a lot of the characters.
Just sit there on the side of the stage like she did.
Like in once.
Yes.
Exactly.
And I was kind of, you know, keeping an eye on it a lot of those.
She was in there a lot.
And only had about five lines throughout, but in different characters.
But she didn't even know it was so minor.
She still hit it great.
And how it's kind of weird to how she'll have it.
She'll say something.
Have her role where she has some lines.
And the next thing you know, she's lifting up somebody else above her head.
And again, great use of the technology with some of the props that would light up.
So it's going to be different things where you didn't see that coming necessarily.
I was also a big fan of the train sequence and how they worked that in with the technology.
I thought that was really, really well done.
It was something that was literally coming together over the course of time.
And you're like, I feel like this is going somewhere, but you just can't quite wrap your head around it.
And then when it happened, you're like, it's like a face palm moment.
Oh my gosh, I should have seen that coming.
Is there anything we haven't covered?
Because I mean, there's not a lot you can say about this, but there's so much wonderful about it.
Right.
This one, I like I said just a minute ago is that I liked how it was two different stories.
And I really tried to show autism through somebody's mind.
It is a new way of kind of thing.
Yeah.
At the beginning, I was really kind of like, okay, this is kind of artsy like an Andy Warhol style thing.
And then I understand what they were trying to do with it.
And it was kind of like, hey, I see now, and now it's really working.
At first I was kind of just kind of sitting back kind of, let's just do artsy.
I don't get it, but then you realize when it's that artsy feel it's in his mind.
So I mean, the, the, no thing it got emotional.
There was a lot of autism.
There was a lot of emotional.
I don't know a lot of personal issues that a lot of people can relate to when you're talking about relationships and everything else.
Well, and then chat kind of takes that to the next level.
As we talked about what we watched this last time as well.
Right.
Not only did my wife's hometown get name checked in this.
It's not a handful of times.
Yeah.
That the uncles from Sunderland and both you and Jill's looked at me like, you're kidding me of all the places
They can mention them.
Which is where your wife who's ever reached the sentence from exactly raised their whole life.
But she has a half brother who is on the autism spectrum.
So, you know, among other issues that are presented in this in this production, which I don't want to give away.
Right.
There are things that just, I had to look at her like, are you all right?
And she said, I'm, I'm, I'm okay.
It's, it's, it's hitting, it is hitting very close to home to the point where I was like, do we, do you need to go out and get some air?
Or, I mean, it's, it's rare that something can affect you that way.
Like, like, I told her, I said, you might want to, you know, send a letter home to, to your family and say,
your family, say, y'all might want to check this out because it almost feels like they were looking inside her life.
And there's so many of them are interested in this.
It's a very strong woman.
Yes, she is.
So, she was, she was a cool customer.
She, I saw her reach and like, dab her eyes at one point.
And I was like, yeah, this is, this is hitting her where she lives.
Literally hitting her where she lives.
Don't anything else?
Yeah, it is.
I got to warn the empire that when you go into this, it's going to seem artsy.
It gets loud.
I mean, it really does.
Yeah, they're intentionally so.
I think there's like one particular point where there's just like a subwoofer hit that just,
sit there for like five minutes towards the end.
But my thing was, it, it, it blew so many senses away.
I just could not, once you get past that, you'll really, really enjoy it.
I can find nothing wrong with this thing.
I think, I think it helps you understand the kind of life that people that are going through this.
That's what life is for them.
That's what everyday life is for them.
It's, I don't know if it's there, it's like sensory overload all the time.
It's nothing they can switch on or switch off.
It's something that they just have to cope with.
So they kind of force you as an audience member to cope with life through their eyes through their ears through their mind.
Anything else you guys want to cover?
I, I think there's a reason I'm asking this question this many times because I'm holding something back.
Go for it.
Well, no, I'm holding something back and so we're ready.
I think we'd be remiss if we didn't give a shout out to Maria Elena Ramirez as Shabon.
His therapy.
Oh, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes.
Because she has teacher.
Right.
As well.
Yeah.
It's almost like she kind of plays.
She was blind by that.
I believe they refer to her as his supervisor.
Right.
She is the constant calming voice of reason throughout this whole day.
And brilliant.
Yeah.
I'm like, where everybody can get really frenetic at times.
She never does.
She's just even killed and she's almost like not she's our guide and she's his guide.
And without her, the whole thing just becomes almost out of control.
Like a strong performance has to carry that.
Yes.
Yeah.
So she's kind of the anchor for the whole thing.
Okay.
So I was privy to something that you gentlemen were not.
Okay.
There is a reference in this production where they kind of break the fourth wall a little bit.
Laying the second act.
Yes.
You left too early.
You're kidding.
No, you.
I'm not kidding.
You left too early.
He did not.
It happened.
Ah.
I will.
I will explain.
Off air because I don't want to ruin anything.
I know exactly what you're talking about.
So my advice if you're going to go see this, whether it's here in Dallas because
it's here till January 22nd or wherever this thing is, whether you're watching.
Maybe because they've got a revival going on in England right now.
Whether you see it.
Don't be fooled by the house lights.
And you'll understand what I'm talking about when you get in hindsight.
I'm kicking myself right now.
I should not.
I don't know.
I'll explain off air because I don't want to ruin.
Because usually the house lights come on.
That means get out of here.
Right.
Okay.
But I'm sure don't you know what I'm referring to.
Yes.
Yes.
So.
Yes.
Again.
Sorry.
Sorry.
I'm sorry.
I will say there's a thing on the show.
Okay.
Well, we can.
That would say.
I don't want to ruin anything.
Oh.
We'll mute it out.
It's going.
There.
There is something that I noticed.
I tried to say it.
But I.
But I.
You didn't have to say anything.
Okay.
Okay.
There.
There is something that as I was doing research on this, I found that the screen
The screenwriter that's responsible for pretty much every Harry Potter film is attempting
to tackle this as a screen at it.
And Brad Pitt is attached to produce.
To produce.
The screenwriter director has been struggling with this since I want to say 2011.
It's not.
I think it's going to be a tough translation to pull to the big screen.
Let me pose this to you.
Okay.
Considering that she is just as heavily influential in theater as she is in film.
And I didn't know who was who was developing this thing.
You know who I saw developing this thing for screen?
Yeah.
Julie.
I.
Her use of imagery would work really well.
Right.
I mean, just knowing what she did with the Lion King on stage.
You know what she did across the universe on screen.
I think it would make it an.
I think she'd make an exceptional mind to tap on.
All right.
We ready for the final analysis.
Let's do it.
All right.
Do we have to do the final analysis on the show?
We're not going to give you thumbs up.
Thumbs down.
Let her grades.
Stars.
Nothing like that.
Constellations.
See you right there.
Yeah.
Our audience whom we affectionately refer to as the Empire.
They want us to go deeper.
Since this is a stage production, this is a little bit different than the way we do film.
The first question is always the same.
Would you see this again?
If the answer is no, then we're done here.
But if the answer is yes, the follow-up question for a stage production becomes.
Where would you sit to see it again?
Because that tells a lot about what kind of a commitment you're willing to do.
Don.
Let's start with you.
Would you see this again?
Definitely.
All right.
What you're willing to pay?
I know it's only January, but this will probably make my top five of the next year.
You, of this year.
Of this year.
I know you did write that in your written review.
So yes, you're backing it up.
See.
It's something so new, so emotional.
It's not just about a bunch of singing and a couple.
This really hit home on a lot of levels and it really, really hit a lot of emotions with me.
Get in.
See this thing.
See it.
Don't get nowhere.
This is going to come as a shock to you, but I don't think I would.
Really.
Why not?
It's too real.
It's, it hits.
It's kind of like the way I feel about goodwill hunting.
Right.
Love that film.
Could never watch it.
Exactly.
It's like this is, this is, this is not a film or how to film.
This is not a production that it does entertain you, but it's something that you,
like private Ryan almost or Schindler's list.
It's something that you survive.
You know, it's, and that is not an indictment on the production values or anything.
It's very well.
It's very high praise because it affects you so emotionally.
It's that you were drained by the right of it.
It was too good for so good almost.
I mean, that is not an indictment on anybody involved in this thing at all.
It's just, I don't know if I could, if I would want to sit through this thing again because it's so raw.
It's, it's, it's so, it leaves you on the ragged edge.
I'm just like, I don't know where the poor guy that plays the leads on any given night.
He's got to go to a room and decompress for half an hour at least.
I'm going to split the middle on this because I would see it again.
But the main reason that I'm okay with seeing it again is because I know what's coming now.
So it might, I don't feel that it would affect me emotionally as bad.
Possibly you're a little bit decentitized at this point.
So you know, that's, again, that's why I'm glad I didn't read much up on it because I really wanted that experience in this.
But I think I would like to see it again because I can detach myself a little bit more now because I know where the story goes.
So it's not as, for lack of a better term, shocking as it would be.
Right. I would, I would take some, okay, let me, let me revise that.
I would take somebody to this that might have somebody that's that they're close to that's affected by this.
Oh, absolutely.
By this condition, much like, you know, like how rain man kind of dragged into the public consciousness man by the 80s.
And they kind of revisited it with what's eating Gilbert Grape with, with the caprials performance dealing with the similar situation.
It's, it's one of those things. It's very easily forgotten about if it doesn't affect you on a daily basis.
You kind of forget that the condition exists, but it's very pervasive. It affects a lot of people.
And I think this is an unfiltered look at what it's like for somebody because they really put you into the, into the mind of this kid and what he goes to on a regular day.
I would like to sit a little bit closer and a little more centered.
Because there's things going on on the sidewalks, too, that you may not have seen right, you know.
I mean, they, they, they don't, it's, it's kind of weird. It's like you don't think they need all the space that they take, but they utilize every inch of that space that they have.
It is the windspear opera house.
It is the curious incident of the dog in the nighttime playing through January 22nd.
Or if you're on the Dallas Fort Worth area, it's going to come to a city near you.
I think city events, everybody at the AC.
Such fans of those guys.
Thanks again, everybody.
Thank you.
All right, let's do the plug gentleman.
Visit our website.
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Find out everything you need to know in some stuff you don't.
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Email Don for information on how we can come to a live show for you.
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You can email me questions, comments, concerns.
I'm Rob at the clubhouse podcast.com.
I am chat at the clubhouse podcast.com.
Charlotte Parker is on Pinterest because we are morally obligated to say that.
Jules Womick obviously enjoyed herself as well.
Our normal show every Sunday, night 70's turn.
For Pacific is your one stop shop for all things pop culture.
So until next time, for Don, for Chad, for the Empire, I'm Rob.
Clubhouse is closed.
Ready Palmer.
Set.