Tony Award-Winning Play in Leeds

One of the big winners of the prestigious Tony Awards®, held at the Radio City Music Hall in New York, was The National Theatre’s production of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, winning a total of five awards – Best Play – Simon Stephens, Best Direction of a Play – Marianne Elliott, Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Play – Alex Sharp as Christopher Boone, Best Lighting Design of a Play – Paule Constable and finally, Best Scenic Design of a Play – Bunny Christie and Finn Ross.

After starting life at the National Theatre’s Cotteslow Theatre in 2012, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time has since transferred to the West End in 2013 (winning seven Olivier Awards in the process) and is now simultaneously running at the Gielgud Theatre in London’s West End, on Broadway at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre and is on a major tour of the UK and Ireland coming to Leeds from Tuesday 25^th August to Saturday 29^th August.

Winner of the award Best Direction of a Play, Marianne Elliott, 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 this amazing tour of the UK and Ireland, which has been thrilling audiences since it began late last year. 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 of 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 win these awards is incredible.”

Simon Stephens, who accepted the award for Best Play alongside the entire production team, added: “It’s been an incredible collaboration and the fact the show has been received this well in New York means the world to me.”

The award winner of Best Lighting Design of a Play, Paule Constable, commented: “Winning the Tony for Best Lighting for Curious is completely overwhelming. Curious is celebration of collaboration – between all of us as a creative team – and with the audiences and community of Broadway. The way they 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 steer us. We had no idea we would end up here!”

The receiver for the award Best Scenic Design, alongside Scott Finn Ross, Bunny Christie 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.” With Finn Ross adding, “For the show to be taken on board like this is an incredible honour and I am deeply touched.”

With the play winning 5 Outer Critics Circle Awards, including Outstanding Broadway Play and 6 Drama Desk Awards including Outstanding Play, it’s fair to say that this production has been hugely successful during this year’s Broadway Theatre awards season in New York.

Christopher, fifteen years old, stands beside 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 comes to the Leeds Grand Theatre from Tuesday 25^th to Saturday 29^th August.

Tickets are on sale now, priced from £18.50 to £35

Book online at the www.leedsgrandtheatre.com or call the Box Office on 08448 482700.