The Hound Of The Baskervilles

“The Hound Of The Baskervilles” is the best known of all the Sherlock Holmes stories.  It would surely be folly to attempt to write a spoof of something that was unknown as the audience would not get the joke. This means that to be a send up of a much loved tale any interpretation must mirror yet accentuate the foibles of the characters originally created by, in this case, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. This version of The Hound is clever, offering a huge opportunity to the cast and director to create something entertaining. Yet the play is not in truth as incisive in its humour and ingenuity as that other much travelled spoof “The Thirty Nine Steps' ' which offers a much wittier script. I fervently hope that when “Steps” does become available again for amateurs, Clive leaps on it swiftly.

The four actors employed were all superlative. Each one had a ball. Their energy and concentration to achieve this  level of intensity in their playing was breath-taking. I can only imagine the fun they had in rehearsal. Steven Derbyshire was outstanding as Holmes. He captured all the idiosyncrasies that Conan Doyle had given him. Steven’s facial expressions are a master class and the ease which he moves about the stage is remarkable. I particularly enjoyed his creation of Stapleton. In another actor’s hands we might have grown tired of the silly wig, the eyepatch and the ridiculous Grimpen mire avoiding gait: not so here. Once we had been introduced to this bizarre creature we waited with anticipation for his next appearance, quietly hoping his leg would reach higher each time he appeared. 

Dominic Dyer was every inch the silly twit as the two Baskervilles. Dressed in the kind of outfit I imagine Boris wears when he entertains his friends at the weekend at Chequers. His reading of the roles was incisive, appropriate and amusing.

Jaqueline Green just gets better and better on stage. She surely was born to be a demented yokel. As Cecile she shone. As Dr. Mortimer, dressed once again in her habitual  male attire, and using a very manly voice she undoubtedly stole the first scene. And now we know her to be a past master of the sound effect table top too! Is there no end to her talents?

Dr. John Watson, Holmes' partner, and we are asked to consider, also his erstwhile lover, was in the hands of Paul McGowan. Paul has the ability to make you laugh without saying a word. He is a supremely gifted actor, comic or otherwise.  His mastery of timing is exemplary in every role he plays. Yet I had a problem. I mentioned at the beginning of this review that pre knowledge of the story is useful for a spoof.  Conan Doyle created Watson as a former army doctor, imbued with all the characteristics of a middle class introspective Victorian well to do gentleman. For all his brilliance this is not who Paul gave us. It was hard to reconcile this Watson with the one we have come to expect. Spoofs can mock but to be successful they need to accentuate the foibles of the original and not change them completely. Is it the script? Is it the actor? Is it the director? Or is it me? I give you a choice. I can guess which one you have gone for!!  But for all this, Paul you still get a nine from me! 

The staging was all it should be. That is not very much of it but just enough clutter to add colour and context. Stage management was in the experienced hands of David Batterby, who suffered admirably each night for his art. I do hope he makes a full recovery.

Yet my greatest appreciation must go to Jane Stack for her magnificent costumes. They were a character in themselves. The work that must have been put in to get them so right must have been monumental and it paid off big time.

Clive Stack peppered the action with wonderfully witty bits of business. He demonstrated his skill in moving his players appropriately around through all the different scenes. HIs decision not to underscore the opening scene of act two with Benny Hill type music was refreshing.

 This was a production that certainly entertained its audience. By the way, the opening explanation of what we were about to see, played in front of the curtains, worked well. You might have imagined it was totally unscripted.

“The Hound Of The Baskervilles”: a joy, a treat, a daft evening: and another resounding success for Blackburn Drama Club.

PRM.

 

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