Little known performer Mike Noble is to step into the biggest role of his career in September, when he replaces Luke Treadaway in the lead role of Christopher in the multi-award-winning production of The Curious Incident Of The Dog In The Night Time.
The actor, who previously appeared in the National Theatre production of Port, will be joined by Amanda Drew, Trevor Fox and Rakie Ayola in the new cast of the production that won a record equalling seven Olivier Awards earlier this year.
The new ensemble, which also includes Daniel Casey, Gay Soper, Jo Dockery, Patrick Driver, Jack Loxton, Golda Rosheuvel, Paul Stocker, Katie Elizabeth Payne, Mark Rawlings, Matt Tait and Cathy Walker, began rehearsals today and will play their first performance on 2 September.
Noble, who has also appeared in films include Private Peaceful and Jack Ryan, will have to follow Treadaway’s Olivier-winning performance as a teenage boy with an incredible brain for maths but one unable to cope with everyday life, who stumbles upon the body of his neighbour’s dog impaled on a garden fork. Eager to get to the bottom of the mystery he embarks on an investigation that uncovers more than he could expect and pushes him far beyond his boundaries.
West End regular Drew, who is also well known for playing Dr May Wright in EastEnders, returns to the London stage to play Christopher’s mother, with Fox, who can currently be seen in The Tempest and Gabriel at Shakespeare’s Globe’s playing his father. Ayola, best known as Holby City’s Kyla Tyson, replaces Niamh Cusack as Christopher’s teacher Siobhan.
The show, adapted from Mark Haddon’s best-selling novel by Simon Stephens, was first staged at the National’s Cottesloe theatre in the summer of 2012. Directed by Marianne Elliott, who also worked with Noble on Port, it proved so successful that it transferred to the Apollo in March 2013 where it is currently booking until October 2014.