AN INNOVATIVE adaptation of best-selling novel The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time is on at Bradford’s Alhambra theatre this week.

Joshua Jenkins stars in the acclaimed National Theatre production, which received seven Olivier awards in 2013.

The play opens with a 15-year-old boy called Christopher standing beside his neighbour’s dead dog. The dog, Wellington, has been speared with a garden fork, it is seven minutes after midnight and Christopher is under suspicion. He decides to record each fact in a book to solve the mystery of who killed Wellington.

While Christopher has an extraordinary brain and is exceptional at maths, he is ill-equipped to interpret everyday life. He has never ventured out 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.

Actor Joshua Jenkins, who is making his National Theatre debut as playing the central role of Christopher, has an unusual co-star — a white rat called Toby.

Challenges for the technical crew included creating Paddington Station in four seconds.

“Our task was to make a visual event on stage,” said choreographer Steven Hoggett.

“Christopher has to walk across Paddington Station — something that wouldn’t be of concern for us. For him, it’s a complete nightmare.”

 * The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time runs at the Alhambra until Saturday. To read our review of the production, visit telegraphandargus.co.uk