The star of a hit play about an autistic teenager who is a genius with numbers admits he was “awful” at maths at school.
But Luke Treadaway, 28, said he now understands the equation with which he dazzles audiences at the post-curtain call conclusion of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, adapted from Mark Haddon’s bestselling novel.
Speaking as the play transferred from the National Theatre’s smallest auditorium to the West End, Treadaway revealed that the first day of rehearsals involved a double maths lesson with Professor Marcus du Sautoy.
Even now, he said he watched the projections which help illuminate the number play on stage to help him get the lines right. “I basically just key into muscle memory and say it off by heart. If anyone did it enough times, it would help them get it.”
But he is comfortable with the A-level question that audience members can stay to hear explained at the end.
“I didn’t really understand it at school,” he said. “For the 25 per cent of the audience who did, perhaps they get reminded of it and that’s cool. And if the other people like the lights and music and confetti that’s a beautiful thing too.”
Treadaway, who first worked with director Marianne Elliott on War Horse, said he felt “very lucky” to be in such a physical show, where he walks the walls at one point, and shares the stage with a pet rat and a puppy.
The actor, who wears knee pads for protection to play Christopher Boone, said: “I want to get sponsored by Epsom bath salts or Lucozade. But it’s good to know you’ve done an honest day’s work.” His twin brother, Harry — who is also an actor and is filming a Sky drama about 007 creator Ian Fleming — confirmed that Luke was bad at maths when they were growing up in Devon. “He was s**t — that’s the amazing thing. That’s almost the most impressive thing apart from the relentlessly physical performance,” said Harry, before adding that he was very proud. “It’s an incredibly difficult part to take on. I would love to do it. It’s about the best part I’ve seen.”
Last night’s audience included comedian-writer Tim Minchin, author Kate Mosse and actor Tom Hiddleston, who said he was “very moved”. The Curious Incident is at the Apollo Theatre, Shaftesbury Avenue, with newcomer Johnny Gibbon in the role of Boone at some performances.
