The Hound of the Baskervilles

The Hound of The Baskervilles

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Reviewed by Matt Forrest

Opening Night verdict ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Back in July 2021 Artistic Director at the Octagon Theatre, Lotte Wakeham, chose The Hound of the Baskervilles to open the revamped theatre in Bolton.  Directed by Wakeham, it proved to be a smart choice, as it received huge critical acclaim and was the perfect way to showcase the talent at the Octagon. On the back of its success the production is now undertaking a nationwide tour hitting The Lowry, Quays Theatre this week for a run of shows that will delight and entertain!

Under the stewardship of UK tour director, Tim Jackson and adapted for the stage by Steven Canny and John Nicholson, the plot remains faithful to Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s original. Sherlock Holmes and faithful companion Dr Watson are recruited to investigate the mysterious death of Charles Baskerville. Has Baskerville fallen victim to the infamous Baskerville curse that has befell so many of his ancestors, or is there a more rational explanation?

Those expecting a faithful and straight laced reworking of this classic tale are in for a shock. This is an innovative, funny and downright absurd reworking of one of Conan Doyle’s best loved works. Within the opening five minutes our trio of actors break ‘the fourth wall’ and directly address the audience to explain that for both artist and financial reasons the three of them will bring all the characters to life.

What follows is a comedy masterclass from the three leads, Nial Ransome, plays it relatively straight as the rather dim-witted Dr Waton, whilst Jake Ferretti and Serena Manteghi are a force of nature, as they undertake the majority of the character swapping, with Ferretti playing Sherlock Holmes, as well as various suspects. Whilst Manteghi, plays the role of Sir Henry Baskerville, the heir to the Baskerville fortune, and the next in line to be ‘bumped off’, as well various other Baskerville family members and three subtly different Dartmoor Yokel’s.

The script in conjunction with energetic performances of the three actors is the main strength to show. Paying homage to silent cinema, slapstick and the ‘whodunit’, Canny and Nicholson have taken Conan Doyle’s to be frank ridiculous plot and ramped it up to 11, allowing for even more absurdity, from OTT accents (not Canadian as Manteghi as points out), dance routines, and farce. Often throughout the show I was reminded of the productions of the Spymonkey theatre company, albeit a more toned down, child friendly version.

This is a fast paced, fun filled at times surreal show, which gives an irrelevant take on this world famous piece of literature. The only rational explanation is to go see the show at your nearest convenience!

The Hound of the Baskervilles is on at the Lowry till Saturday 5th February. Tickets can be found here.

The Hound of The Baskervilles

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Opening Night verdict ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Reviewed by Alison Ruck

As one of the first full scale productions to grace the newly refurbished Bolton Octagon stage, I was very excited to head to the theatre for a night of comedy brilliance with The Hound of The Baskervilles.

The Octagon has just undertaken a million-pound refurbishment, set to improve accessibility, visitor experience and backstage facilities. And oh yes was it worth it, it looks amazing, the place is pristine, modern and beautiful. The Octagon has really upped it’s game and I cant wait to see what amazing work they produce going forward.

But anyway, back to The Hound of The Baskervilles. With a cast of only 3, the adaptation of Arthur Conan Doyle’s classic adventure tells the story of one of Sherlock Holmes’ most popular case. The famous pair of Sherlock and Watson are asked to unravel the mystery surrounding the untimely death of Sir Charles Baskerville, and with rumours of a cursed giant hound on the loose, they must act fast to save the Baskerville family’s last remaining heir.

The trio of talented actors play a variety of roles throughout the show, incorporating a multitude of accents, costumes, and physicality to differentiate. Polly Lister plays Sir Henry Baskerville (amongst many others), Octagon Youth Theatre alumni, Reuben Johnson is the famous Sherlock Holmes (amongst many others), and Simon Kane is Mr Watson, who is the only constant in his role throughout.


The multi-rolling was brilliant, each one portrayed with dazzling humour and distinguish. One of my favourites wasMiss Cecile Stapleton played by The Octagon’s very own, Reuben, his flirty mannerisms combined with some brilliantly written comedy created the perfect, mysterious other woman. 

All three actors were outstanding, their perfect comedy timing and exuberance created farcical brilliance which at times had me crying laughing, particularly at the scenes with the dummies (no spoilers) which had the whole audience in stiches. The cast have great chemistry on stage and even when speaking to the audience (or breaking the fourth wall for those who like technical terms) the comedy was very natural and raw, flowing from ‘break out’ to ‘acting’ effortlessly whilst keeping the comedy simple and easy.

The production, directed by Lotte Wakeham, was minimal yet clever staging, making use of only a few items of set that immediately help place a scene and the clever use of props that not only keep you with the story but add subtle moments of humour within the scenes. Similarly, the costumes, designed by David Woodhead allowed you to differentiate between characters even through the quick changes and role swaps, each one accentuated each character perfectly, which was further emphasised by the fantastic actors.

When you’re not laughing away, you’re sucked into the world of Holmes and Watson through the twists and turns of the plot. I was unfamiliar with the production, so I was utterly entranced by the ‘who did it’ drama and was even surprised by the findings of the detective pair.

This adaption of The Hounds of The Baskervilles was the perfect blend of farcical comedy and mystery drama. A fun show, sure to have you howling with laughter (pun intended)from start to finish.

The Hound of The Baskervilles is on at Octagon Theatre, Bolton until Saturday 7th August tickets available https://octagonbolton.co.uk

Hound of the Baskervilles

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Hound of the Baskervilles3

Reviewed by Matt Forrest

Over the years there has been many interpretations of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s The Hound of the Baskervilles – at least 20 TV and film adaptations alone, not to mention countless theatrical productions. However I challenge anyone to say they have seen anything quite like Northern Rep’s version of this classic tale… and if you don’t believe me, the proof is currently at the King’s Arms for all too see. 

Arriving at the King’s Arms, Salford for a two week run, this fun filled murder mystery focuses on the mysterious death of Sir Charles Baskerville and the apparent threat to the heir of the Baskerville estate, Henry Baskerville. Super sleuth Sherlock Holmes and his trustee sidekick Dr Jane Watson travel from their home on Baker Street all the way to the Devonshire moors, where they encounter all manner of suspects, with even more suspect accents! Can our daring duo not only solve the case but also survive the horrid hell hound? Time will of course tell. 

Those expecting a faithful and straight laced reworking of this classic tale are in for a shock. This is an innovative, funny and downright brilliant reworking of this classic tale. All parts are played by two hugely talented actors in Michael Justice and Angela Hazeldine. The performances alternate with two other actors, so it’s pot luck as to who you’ll get, however this is the second time I have seen this production with different cast members and in no way has it detracted from my enjoyment – if anything, it’s all the better as it keeps things fresh and slightly unexpected. The script is packed full of so many double entendres and just plain daft gags that maybe it should be called Carry on up the Baskervilles. However the joy really comes from Justice and Hazeldine’s adlibbing and doing their best to put the other off their stride.  

Hound

Granted, they play fast and loose with the original story and by the end the convoluted plot becomes secondary as the show becomes an excuse to have a bloody good giggle.  A spot of audience participation is required and the audience tonight got into the swing of things, laughter is most definitely the order of the day. 

As I said earlier, this was my second time seeing this production and each time has been something different: the first time there were some children in attendance and the second there were none, but both performances were adapted to make all feel welcome, with the first performance being more child friendly, without losing any of the humour. 

It’s the job of any critic to critique any show as honestly as possible, however sometimes there’s no harm in leaving it to audience members to have the final say: I got talking to a lovely couple during the interval and the gentlemen claimed he’s been watching shows with his wife for over 45 years, this he told me is only second show he hasn’t fallen asleep in during all that time and I can assure you he made it through the second half too! 

Go and see this riotous romp at your nearest opportunity – you certainly won’t be disappointed! Fun, filthy and downright fabulous! 

Hound of the Baskervilles is on at Kings Arms till the 25th November 

Tickets available from: http://www.kingsarmssalford.com/whats-on/ 

 

The Hound of the Baskervilles

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Hound of the Baskervilles3

If you’re looking for a riotous romp through the mysterious Devonshire moors without having to leave the comforts of the city, then get yourselves down to Manchester’s newest pop-up theatre, The Reading Room where you’ll find Northern Rep putting their hilarious stamp on Arthur Conan Doyle’s much loved classic, The Hound of the Baskervilles.

This fun-filled murder-mystery spoof follows legendary super sleuths Sherlock Holmes and Dr Jane Watson as they attempt to solve the curious case of the death of Mr Charles Baskerville as the threat of the curse of a bloodthirsty hound looms large over Baskerville’s heir Henry. Unbeknown to our crime solving duo the secret to cracking the case may well be being kept from them by Charles’ very own family, despite this our detecting duo press on determined to return to Baker Street triumphant!

Incredibly all parts in this innovative production are played by just two actors who rotate performances, the highly versatile and hugely talented Christopher Brown and Angela Hazeldine perform this evening with Thea Beyleveld and Michael Justice also performing during the run. They differentiate characters by giving them superbly exaggerated accents from as far as Texas to Taunton and many, many places in between as well as props befitting each character. The duo blister through the piece with hilarious consequences, both are engaging, superbly silly and hugely entertaining, with the action becoming increasingly outrageous as we meet more and more characters from the moors.

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The emphasis here is on comedy and boy do the two cast members deliver; they play off each other beautifully as the sharp script gifts our duo with some real genuine moments of laugh out loud humour. Of course no spoof would be complete without occasional trips and line-fluffs which only adds to the controlled chaos of this delightful production, there are cheeky innuendos a plenty as canes are caressed and overgrown bushes penetrated, ooh err!

Director Thomas Moore has used the intimate space of the reading room to great effect. The beautifully crafted 30 seater venue within Manchester’s Great Northern Warehouse is the perfect setting for bringing the melodrama and magic of the piece to life. You don’t have to be a Sherlock Holmes fan to get enormous pleasure out of this farcical whodunit, the show’s spontaneous feel makes it accessible to all as the cast charmingly address the audience apologising for apparent mistakes. The Hound of the Baskervilles is an absolute riot, cheeky, chaotic and jolly good fun, with the fabulous Mrs Hudson on hand to wet your whistle it’s an absolute must-see!

On at The Reading Room, Great Northern until Saturday 16th September https://www.northernrep.co.uk/thebaskervilles

 

The Hound of the Baskervilles

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Hound

Northern Rep bring Arthur Conan Doyle’s much loved classic, The Hound of the Baskervilles, to Great Northern Warehouse’s new space, The Reading Room, this week.

Northern Rep invite audiences to join Sherlock Holmes and his trusted sidekick Dr Watson as they travel from the streets of London to the Devonshire Moors in an attempt to solve the mystery of, The Hound of the Baskervilles. The intimate city centre setting allows Northern Rep to deliver an evening of fast-paced action as two hugely talented actors take on every role in this riotous romp. Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson have never been so funny as they poke fun at the mystery and melodrama of the Moor!

Thomas Moore, Artistic Director of Northern Rep, said: “I’m thrilled to be bringing one of Sherlock Holmes’ and Dr Watson’s most famous adventures to Manchester in its own purpose built theatre: The Reading Room. We’ve been working hard over the past few months converting a secret corner of The Great Northern Warehouse into an intimate 30 seat theatre that will host The Hound of the Baskervilles. Expect riotous performances from Mr Holmes and Dr Watson as Mrs Hudson takes care of all of your refreshment needs from your seat!”

Presented by Northern Rep, adapted and directed by Thomas Moore, and performed in pairs by four cast members – Thea Beyleveld, Christopher Brown, Angela Hazeldine and Michael Justice – who rotate performances. The Hound of the Baskervilles opens on Friday 16th June. Ticket information can be found here; www.northernrep.co.uk/thebaskervilles

Tickets £12 (Previews from Friday 16 – Monday 19 June tickets £6)

120mins including interval.