Mysteries, as presented in fiction, often assume an overly expansive scale, with multiple players involved, and various possible outcomes, and thorny twists, and stakes that are almost outlandishly high.
But those seemingly unsolvable dramas of our day-to-day lives, the stories surrounding our family, and duties, and love, are the sorts of mysteries that touch us all, even if we have a propensity for getting a little lost in the weeds as we try to make sense of the larger picture.
"The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time," the Tony-winning sensation, delves into the enigmas of our domestic spheres as it follows Christopher, a 15-year-old boy who sets out on an initial and highly heartbreaking quest: To discover who killed a neighbor's dog.
The moving play is on now at The Center Theatre Group/Ahmanson Theatre.
Our 15-year-old hero "...has an extraordinary brain; he is exceptionally intelligent but ill-equipped to interpret everyday life." Christopher is at first accused of being behind the vicious deed, but his determination to prove his innocence and find the culprit leads the tenacious teenager to unraveling a number of other sticky wickets, some that exist very close to home and the heart.
Based on the bestselling book by Mark Haddon, the Simon Stephens-penned play is in turns tender, and a tad terrifying, but an ultimately joyful exploration of those complicated parent-child ties, how we approach an often unforgiving world, muddling through when everything seems unclear, big bravery, trying the new, the marvels of math, and forging your own path.
Marianne Elliott, who directed the acclaimed "War Horse," is behind the science-spectacular, numbers-rich, grid-cool staging, and Adam Langdon stars as Christopher, bringing a sensitive, funny, physically astounding, and layers-deep interpretation to the role. The rest of the cast is superb, too.
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It's a story that created a splash in bookstores and won thousands of intrigued and engaged readers before heading for the English, then American, stage. Catch the emotional piece of stagecraft through Sunday, Sept. 10, at the Ahmanson.
