Joseph Ayre in rehearsals for the show

East 15 Acting School undergraduate Joseph Ayre will play the lead of Christopher in The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time.

The National Theatre’s Olivier and Tony Award-winning production of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time will welcome a new acting company to the Gielgud Theatre this month with newcomer Joseph Ayre joining the cast to play the lead role of Christopher Boone.

• Watch a video with Joseph Ayre on the What's On Stage website

Based on Mark Haddon’s internationally acclaimed novel and adapted by Simon Stephens, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time is currently booking in the West End until 31 January 2017. Rehearsals are now under way with the new company who will begin performances at the Gielgud Theatre on Monday 20 June.

Joseph joins the National Theatre’s production of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time direct from the three year BA Acting course at East 15 Acting School.

Joseph, who was born and bred in Hull, said: ‘I’m so excited about playing Christopher Boone in The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time and taking on the challenge of one of the most complex and interesting characters in the West End. This is my first acting job out of drama school and taking on this role with the National Theatre really is a dream come true for me."

Joseph has already been earning accolades in his third year on the BA Acting course. In March this year he won the prestigious Carleton Hobbs Bursary which earned him a contract with BBC Radio Drama. In April he was selected to represent East 15 at the Sam Wanamaker Festival at Shakespeare’s Globe where Susan Elkin from The Stage noted that “he held the audience in the palm of his hand”.

Joseph is represented by Shepherd Management, who signed him directly as a result of his performance in the BA Acting Showcase at the Leicester Square Theatre in January.