Amanda Griffiths, one of our community reviewers, came to see The Hound of the Baskervilles and states it's a production 'not to be missed'. Read her review below ...

This autumn the Torch Theatre promises Sherlock Holmes as you’ve never seen him before, returning with their new production of the legendary sleuth’s classic tale The Hound of the Baskervilles. Within 5 minutes of the opening sequence of the adaption created by Steven Canny and John Nicholson and based on Arthur Conan Doyle’s novel, it is clear they have delivered. Chelsey Gillard directs a small cast in this hilariously fast paced, slapstick production of a much-loved classic which leaves audiences guessing not just the answer to the mystery but indeed just what might happen next on stage. From the outset Gillard’s intricate direction and clever staging is key, as is the brilliant interaction and comic timing of Gareth John Bale, Jessica Dyas and Rick Yale who play a myriad of characters in a theatrical production which is reminiscent of The Play That Goes Wrong.

Gareth John Bale returns to the Torch Theatre, this time in a comedic role (following previous successful collaborations with writer Owen Thomas) which he portrays with great energy and humour. The physicality and costume changes alone prove demanding for the part. Bale portrays the titular Sherlock Holmes in classic style, accompanied by Dr Watson (a great turn by local actor Jessica Dyas), as well as the roles of Jack Stapleton, Stapleton’s sister, Barrymore and several other minor characters. Having seen Bale in many dramatic productions such as the award winning Grav (which toured the UK and America) it was pure delight to see this side of the actor, transforming from the quick-witted and sharp Sherlock to an eyepatch-clad Stapleton reminiscent of a bond villain. Yet his turn as Stapleton’s seductive Spanish sister has to be the star role, dancing across the stage in flamenco dress with several clicks of his heels to roaring laughter from the audience. Watch out Torch pantomime dame!

Newcomer to the Torch, Rick Yale, is fantastic as Sir Henry Baskerville, who we first see in a London Steam room – which provides the opportunity for a modern twist, making you for a moment forget what you are supposed to be watching! Sir Henry is the nephew of Sir Charles Baskerville, who has been found dead on the moors under suspicious circumstances, and is the heir to the family fortune. Yale also provides humour as a variety of Dartmoor Yokels alongside the brilliant Jessica Dyas switching between accents and character traits with ease.

The set design (Kevin Jenkins) is simple yet effective. The scenic backdrop of the moorland was hand painted by Laura Martin to Jenkins’ design and was inspired by the artist George Henry Jenkins’ paintings of Dartmoor. The floorboards curl upwards dramatically in front of the scenery suggesting the wildness of the moor and the jagged teeth of the hound. The screen is torn to suggest the hound has just ripped through it, leaving a jagged hole in its place. Other props such as crates and boxes serve to provide the scenery for the train platform and carriages. The set also includes a fireplace and doorway that can be lowered onto the stage to portray Holmes and Watson’s Baker Street flat.

The costumes (also designed by Kevin James) are kept traditional, with Sherlock Holmes’ recognisable deerstalker hat, cloak and pipe, Watson’s grey trouser suit and Sir Henry Baskerville’s quirky and vibrant yellow checked suit. The reason for design of the many other costumes involved becomes apparent throughout the production when quick changes are necessary.

Ceri James provides the lighting which is very changeable, moving from dark and sinister to spotlights on the cast as they deliver the fast-paced production. There are moments of stark lighting when the cast break the fourth wall and speak to the audience – surprisingly this doesn’t break from the momentum and adds to the ridiculous nature of the story and its events.

The pacing is perfect and is a credit to the director, stage managers, cast and technical team as each scene must play out with accurate precision – even those moments that appear to go wrong – the door stuck in the floor, the fireplace wobbling dangerously above the actors, the window frame that snaps shut on Yale’s fingers. This is a play within a play and it’s fantastically delivered with wit and wholehearted enthusiasm. The actors clearly love every minute of it!

The second act picks up the pace for reasons which I won’t reveal due to potential spoilers. Some repetition increases the joke value as the audience see scenes rushed and sped up, spiralling the production towards intended chaos. Costumes and hair pieces hang lose, props are missing or misused, accents blur and actors’ appearances are delayed. The line between creative and real are also blurred – in an echo of Arthur Conan Doyle’s own work. This would be exhausting to keep up over the 8-night run so credit to the cast and creative team.

As the play draws to a close, we see glimpses of the dramatic story we have been expecting. The atmospheric lighting and music (always beautifully crafted by James Williams), the thick wafts of smoke curling out across the moorland, the quiet reflection among the audience. These scenes are executed with just as impressive effect. The 2-hour play passed quickly, keeping the audience on the edge of their seats, with no idea of what was coming next. It was refreshing to see something so brilliantly funny on stage, with a smaller cast in such a tight knit production. This would, no doubt, have been a lot of work to pull together and would take a lot of energy and attention to repeat night after night. The result however is a laughter packed, entertaining evening, with a dash of mystery and mayhem and some rather unforgettable visuals!

This is a play not to be missed!

Image: Media to Motion