Review by Paul Towers, 8/6/26
Ken Ludwig’s Baskerville
Directed by Ruth Cheetham
Produced by Leicester Drama Society
At The Little Theatre til Saturday 13 June
2026
In 1901-2 renowned author Artur Conan Doyle wrote
his third Sherlock Holmes novel, The Hound of The Baskervilles. It proved such
a success that it revived the Holmes character who Conan Doyle had tentatively killed off in The
Final Problem.
Set amid the spooky moors of Devon in a
stately home and involving a large malevolent black dog, trying to present the
story on stage in a serious manner is logistically impossible. So in 2015
American playwright Ken Ludwig created Baskerville, A Sherlock Holmes Mystery.
Seemingly having taken inspiration from the stage version of Patrick Barlow’s
The 39 Steps, Ludwig has written a loving homage to the Sherlock Holmes
thrillers heavily laced with humour and jeopardy but with a small cast of just
five (plus the Hound ably manipulated by Martin Bell & Thom Jones)
Leading the production is David Lovell as the
titular Sherlock Holmes ably assisted by Charles Moss’ Dr Watson. While these
two are the backbone of the story it is the incredible talents of Emma Bamford,
Robin McFarland and Liz Kavanagh who bring to life the THRTY ONE other
characters. With skilful choreography, minimal costumes and a wide range of
accents this trio make you believe there are dozens of cast members.
The story, as is to be expected with a
Sherlock Holmes tale, is far from as straightforward as it seems at first
sight. A discarded walking stick serves to introduce Dr James Mortimer to 221b
Baker Street and the unveiling of a supernatural mystery involving a canine
beast roaming the Dartmoor Moors. Sir Henry Baskerville, an American, has
arrived in the UK to claim his inheritance but is nervous of the curse of the
dog which has supposedly killed off Baskerville ancestors going back 300 years.
To add to the tension on the moor a prisoner has escaped from the local prison.
As Holmes investigates he gradually discards various
suspects until he has found the guilty party.
While Homes and Watson play it fairly
straight it is the side characters who provide so many of the laughs, and the
scenery also plays its part in raising giggles.
Ken Ludwig’s Baskerville, A Sherlock Holmes
Mystery runs at The Little Theatre until Saturday 13 June 2026.
Pics: Jonathan Pryke
https://thelittletheatre.co.uk/
https://ptheatre.blogspot.com/
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