Syndicated interviews for The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, featuring Charlie Brooker

A thrilling and innovative new production of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, inspired by the multi-million-selling novel by Mark Haddon, is set to tour the UK, beginning at Birmingham Rep in September. The remarkable play – this century’s most popular murder mystery – which combines a crime with family drama and an insightful portrait of neurodivergence, is adapted by Olivier and Tony Award-winning playwright Simon Stephens and helmed by visionary director Ned Bennett.

This new staging of the show, which originally premiered at the National Theatre in 2012, also sees the first-ever female casting of the neurodivergent teenage protagonist, now named Chris Boone, bringing a fresh perspective to an iconic character. Chris is played by Alex Keenan, in a role alternated by Imi Price.

The UK tour is also led by two audience favourites as Chris’s parents. Charlie Brooks, beloved for playing Janine Butcher on EastEnders, and whose theatre roles also include The Ocean at the End of the Lane, is Judy. Joe McFadden, known for TV dramas like The Crow Road, plays such as 2:22 A Ghost Story, and for winning Strictly Come Dancing in 2017, plays Ed. Judy is absent from Chris’s life when the story begins, while Ed is struggling as, essentially, a single dad.

When did you first encounter The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time?

Charlie Brooks: I read the book a long time ago and then I saw the National Theatre production when it was on in the West End. I thought it was extraordinary. I was so excited when I heard the play was coming back – I immediately wanted to know what the vision was, how they were planning to bring this story life, and how it might be different in this production. Joining the show was an absolute no-brainer.

Tell us about your character Judy and your way into her

Brooks: She’s written with so much complexity. She’s flawed, as are many characters within the play. But she’s really doing her best. She’s found herself in a situation where she was unable to cope with the challenges in front of her and she didn’t feel like she had much choice. It’s a horrible question to contemplate: what if me leaving is the best thing for my child? Judy thinks “I’m explosive, I’m reactive, I can’t cope”. That must be a really difficult thing to go through, totally heartbreaking, especially since Judy obviously deeply loves her child.

Do you think the play allows sympathy for her?

Brooks: Yes, what’s really great is she’s not judged in the play. The audience is allowed to find some sort of identification with her. She speaks her truth. This is a play about communication and honesty – or the lack of it, in some cases. Her truth is that she felt invisible and unable to manage. There aren’t enough representations of mothers saying “It’s so hard, I want to run away”. The show has empathy for her. I sometimes had those feelings as a mum. I think lots of women do!

How does the representation of a neurodivergent character land differently now?

Brooks: There were far fewer people diagnosed when the novel was first out, or when the show was originally on, compared to now, when this is something that’s much more talked about. That’s a brilliant thing: there’s much deeper understanding and completely different language in the way we discuss neurodiversity today. The conversation has been blown wide open, and so it felt important to bring the play into 2026. But there’s still a way to go, and plays like this, which put the audience right in Chris’s experience and allow them to experience the world through Chris’s eyes, help so much.

Can you tell us about the new staging?

Brooks: When they did the design meeting, I was like “Wow” – I got goosebumps. [Set and costume designer] Eleanor Bull has dreamed up this incredible vibrant colour palette, and it’s a very textured set with lots of different materials on stage. It’s going to be a whole sensory experience. Then when Chris is overstimulated and overwhelmed, Ned [Bennett] is bringing that to life in an amazing innovative way with a lot of physical movement and props.

I’ve never been in a rehearsal room that’s so creative and collaborative. The way Ned’s curated these games to help us devise ideas and build them into the production is so thorough and brilliant. I’m really grateful I did The Ocean at the End of the Lane first so I had a sense of what it’s like to play in this way and create worlds.

We also want to make the production accessible for audiences coming to the show who are neurodivergent, so that’s definitely something we’re factoring in, while also making it a thrilling play that’s still entertaining and impactful.

How does making Chris a female character change the production?

Brooks: The gender swap gives a completely fresh perspective on the story and the characters. My understanding is that girls who are neurodivergent often have a different journey: there’s a lot of masking of symptoms, so they may not get diagnosed, or not as soon as boys. Simon Stephens and Mark Haddon are very much on board with the change and all the new things it throws up.

The girls who are playing Chris are incredible – they’re just buzzing for it, they have this amazing energy. And I love Joe [McFadden], he’s the best. The whole cast are just wicked.

Does it also change your character’s relationship with her child?

Brooks: Yes, I think it does shift slightly. A mother leaving is such a huge thing – you don’t necessarily hear about that as often as you would when a man leaves his family. Also, mother-daughter relationships are complicated. I’ve got a daughter, so I know! I know I was an imperfect mother. I can relate to some of their challenges. It’s really helpful to show all the sides of these relationships, rather than some ideal. But whether you’re in this exact situation or not, I think everyone can relate to worrying that you’re not doing something well enough, not doing a good job, or not fitting in.

Why are you excited to tour with the production?

Brooks: I really think this is a properly brilliant show and we need to get good theatre out into the regions. That’s hugely important. It’s personal for me: I’m from Barmouth, a little town in North Wales, and regional theatre was all I saw when I was younger. It made a big impact.

This is the sort of play you might go to see as a young person, or as an adult actually, and your thoughts will be provoked. I think there’ll be great audiences for this. It’s a fantastic one for families too. It’ll spark people’s imagination and hopefully also conversation.

Do you have any stops you’re particularly excited for?

Brooks: So many! Getting to take the play all over the UK is amazing. My nan lived in Shrewsbury for many years – I was brought up an hour and a half away from there, and she was the first person to take me to see Copacabana in Shrewsbury, so I can’t wait to go back. I’ve got lots of family there still. That’ll be really nice. I love Bath, Newcastle, Liverpool, Edinburgh. I can’t wait.

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time plays at Grand Opera House York Tue 27 Oct – Sat 31 Oct 2026. Tickets are available here.