|
The Hound of the Baskervilles
Lichfield Garrick Studio
****
THE Fired Up
Theatre Company are starting to define the word versatile. From the rock
operas of The Wall
and Quadrophenia,
and the thriller-scape of
The Fell Walker,
they now tackle this traditional murder mystery classic.
Much played in numerous
film and television adaptations, it was also produced for the stage by
the Peepolykus Theatre Company
at the West Yorkshire Playhouse in 2007.
The Hound of the
Baskervilles is the third of the crime
novels written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle featuring Sherlock Holmes and
is often voted the best by aficionados of Doyle.
Originally serialised
in The Strand Magazine
from August 1901 to April 1902, it is set largely on Dartmoor in Devon
and tells the story of an attempted murder inspired by the legend of a
fearsome, diabolical hound of supernatural origin, a case for Sherlock
Holmes and Dr. Watson.
Holmes and Watson are such established figures in
popular literary culture that many productions have veered towards
pastiche. This production is billed: “a tragi-comedy, farce thriller,
melodramatic theatre performance”, so there was quite a lot to fit in!
The production opens to a stage bare but for a
chair, a back projection screen, and mists seemingly rolling in from the
dark moors around.
A strong cast of
thirteen ensured the minimalist stage was always busy, the big screen
providing still and live action backdrops. The latter was particularly
well utilised for live action footage of the cast at a railway station
and on a train,
courtesy of Chase Water Heritage railway.
Original music by Helen Thorne and incidental
music by Jimmy Dewhirst was particularly atmospheric and effective.
Mal Dewhirst’s script was authentic and easy on
the ear, humorous without veering into pastiche. His running gag of a
complex situation being a “two pipe problem” consistently drew laughs.
Co-director Simon Quinn also took on the part of
Sherlock Holmes in an engaging portrayal, part wacky Dr Who, part North
Bank Boot Boy. John Westoby was a credible foil as Dr Watson,
deferential, a poor shot, and always second best to Sherlock’s
inimitable powers of deduction.
Supporting were a strong cast. I particularly
enjoyed Michael Lieber’s Dr Mortimer, his stage wife, Frida Andersson,
got to wear the best dress, and looked fabulous, whilst convincingly
attempting to invoke the spirits of the dead in the seance scene.
Anthony Webster as Barrymore, sporting a mane of
hair that will have Andie MacDowell green with envy, and should have
L’Oreal racing to swap models, was excellent, giving a restrained,
nuanced performance, as did Tamsyn Ashton as his wife, evoking the
“downstairs” of Downton Abbey.
Minor parts can have big impacts and Will Green
set a confident tone at the start as the Coroner, whilst the teasingly
androgynous Mrs Frankland was played with zest and good humour by Hannah
Smith.
The temptation on stage adaptations is to grossly
simplify the plot, but with thirteen actors at his disposal, Mal
Dewhirst’s writing does not compromise, and still tells the tale
effectively within the one hour fifty minute performed running time.
A fine adaptation of a
popular tale, well told. Hound of the
Baskervilles runs till Saturday 17th
October.
Gary Longden
16-10-15
|
