Written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, adapted by Steven Cary and John Nicholson.
World-renowned detective Sherlock Holmes and his colleague, Dr Watson are asked to unravel the mystery surrounding the untimely death of Sir Charles Baskerville. With rumours of an accursed giant hound loose on the moors, they must act fast in order to save the Baskerville family’s last remaining heir. This fast paced and hilarious spoof production offers a brand-new twist on one of the greatest detective stories of all time.
The prospect of casting a play featuring just three actors must be a nightmare for any director. But Harborough Theatre’s production of the Hound of the Baskervilles was a corker. In the ever-capable hands of Mark Bodicoat, the carefully chosen trio worked at breakneck speed through the hilarious script.
The talented threesome portrayed 12 characters between them and the pace was so fast that at times it seemed even they were confused – and that, too, was carried off with aplomb. Paul Beasley and Neil Lovegrove were wonderful as Sherlock Holmes and Watson and handled the subtle suggestion that theirs might be more than just a business relationship with humorous perfection. Ben Reid was so comfortable in his roles as both the ill-fated Sir Charles and Sir Henry Baskerville. All three also played yokels in scenes reminiscent of Two Ronnies sketches.
The overriding feature of this impressive season opener was the fun exuded by the cast. It was clear they enjoyed every minute of it, which proved immediately infectious with the sell-out audiences. The eerie set displayed the talents of the construction and lighting teams. It was without a doubt, a howling success.
(Edited from Gordon Birch’s review in the Harborough Mail)
Photography by John Harrison
Presented by special arrangement with Nick Hern Books