Is Toby played by a live rat?

[EponineThenardier]

Posted: 12/24/15 at 12:38am

In Curious Incident, is Toby the rat played by a real rat? In some of the released show footage it looks real, but it seems strange they would take the trouble of having a real one on stage when he's so small and most of the audience probably can't see (I couldn't tell where I was sitting!)

 

[ChairinMain]

Posted: 12/24/15 at 12:47am

He is indeed played by a live rat. 

[EponineThenardier]

Posted: 12/24/15 at 1:17am

That seems so crazy with the noise (poor thing) and it being in a large theater (why do it then?), etc. Thanks for answering! 

[AngusN]

Posted: 12/24/15 at 4:47am

I thought the same; it is so loud and the poor animal is thrown around so badly. Poor thing. And yet Alex Sharp won the Tony, I'm sure the rat does more, just to stay alive.

[WickedGinger]

Posted: 12/24/15 at 5:43am

I'm sure at some point the live rate is switched out. I.e. when the cage, etc. is being thrown about Toby the 'live' rat isn't in it. 

 

As a side note... I have an overwhelming fear of rats. I don't like the scenes with Toby! Lol 

 

[iluvtheatertrash]

Posted: 12/24/15 at 6:56am

I tried to find it but can't track it down. There was an article a while back that explained how and when they switched her (the mouse playing Toby is a she) out before certain moments with a fake one. And how they protected her through all the running, noise and lighting. Wish I could find it for you!

[dramamama611]

Posted: 12/24/15 at 8:35am

There is NO way the animal isn't switched out.  PETA would be all over them.

 

But what the heck does the rat have to do with Sharp winning a Tony?

[followspot]

Posted: 12/24/15 at 9:04am

NYTimes article on Toby:

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/11/11/nyregion/white-rat-in-the-curious-incident-is-unexpected-broadway-hit.html?_r=0

[JMPlayer6]

Posted: 12/24/15 at 10:47am

What part of "And yet Alex Sharp won the Tony, I'm sure the rat does more, just to stay alive" stated or even suggested that the rat had anything to do with Alex winning the Tony?

[theminutepast]

Posted: 12/24/15 at 11:58am

I've had the misfortune of being close to what happened with training Toby the rat, and it's ruined my impression of Broadway trainers as wonderful people who adopt rescue animals and give them good lives. There have been several other rats besides Toby who were rescued and later discarded when they wouldn't perform or were distracting Toby. Toby herself doesn't live with one person consistently either, but is passed around the cast and crew when the trainer has to take care of her many other animals. Toby also lives alone which is a big no-no for keeping rats. The whole thing has made me doubt the good work trainers do, even though I believe they care for the animals, it's still a paycheck at the end of the day.

[WaltG2]

Posted: 12/25/15 at 4:05am

JMPlayer6 said: "What part of "And yet Alex Sharp won the Tony, I'm sure the rat does more, just to stay alive" stated or even suggested that the rat had anything to do with Alex winning the Tony?"

 

That's their point... It's really not that hard to figure out. Alex's Tony is such a non-sequitur in a discussion about the rat that it makes sense that people would ask what the two things have to do with each other.

 

I'm more curious as to who exactly stated or even suggested that it meant that the rat had anything to do with (as in "played a part in", rather than relevance to the topic of) the Tony win, as the only person who questioned that statement in this thread was questioning the relevance of the non-sequitur, rather than the rat's role in Alex's Tony win.

Updated On: 12/26/15 at 04:05 AM

[haterobics]

Posted: 12/25/15 at 9:51am

EponineThenardier said: "That seems so crazy with ... it being in a large theater (why do it then?)"

 

I sat in the front row, so I would definitely had known if it weren't live. I don't think the rear mezz should call the shots for what everyone else can see...

[WaltG2]

Posted: 12/26/15 at 10:00am

haterobics said: "EponineThenardier said: "That seems so crazy with ... it being in a large theater (why do it then?)"

 

 

 

I sat in the front row, so I would definitely had known if it weren't live. I don't think the rear mezz should call the shots for what everyone else can see..."

 

In their defense, they did clearly say "most of the audience probably can't see". And I'd assume they're right about that. Using front row to dictate what can be seen by a majority of the audience is about as crazy as using rear mezz. But you only have a problem with the logic in one of those? Interesting...

 

[thedrybandit]

Posted: 12/26/15 at 10:09am

haterobics said: "I sat in the front row, so I would definitely had known if it weren't live. I don't think the rear mezz should call the shots for what everyone else can see..."

I actually saw the show from the very back of the rear mezz, and my girlfriend and I could both tell that Toby was alive.

[A1st]

Posted: 1/27/16 at 3:46pm

http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/theatre-dance/news/rat-dies-in-freak-accident-just-as-her-broadway-career-was-flourishing-a6836581.html

[Kad]

Posted: 1/27/16 at 3:47pm

So, not anymore?

[BroadwayConcierge]

Posted: 1/27/16 at 3:49pm

Too soon, Kad. The nation is in mourning.