York Theatre Royal – 2 August 2016. Reviewed by Marcus Richardson
The stupendous Sherlock Holmes made a spiffing appearance at York Theatre Royal for a exciting tale of the Hounds of Baskervilles, the play set as a Victorian melodrama made the whole audience laugh with funny multi-acting especially from the petite Joanna Holden. The play was whacky and thoroughly entertaining myself and the whole audience.
The Victorian melodrama style of the play was an amazing piece of direction and was used so effectively, with the actor running into the audience and audience interaction on stage, all of this just felt very warming and made for a cheerful environment in the theatre. It truly is suitable for all ages as it isn’t a thriller piece of theatre but a comedy, which WILL make you laugh your socks off.
All of the actors played multiple characters parr from Elexi Walker who played Dr John Watson, very well I might add. York Theatre Royals very own David Leonard played Sherlock and a very creepy Mr Barrymore, Rob Castell became sir Henry Baskerville but also was the composer which I really liked as the whole play was under the Victorian theatre group ‘Mr Henry Dimmell and Mrs Rose Dimmells world-renowned Victorian travelling theatre company’ what a mouthful that was, so very confusing at it took me all night to understand.
The staging was stunning with with three archways with pillars that could move and a door that could rise from the stage. They made great use of shadow puppets and lighting to tell certain tales in the play such as the origins of the Baskerville curse which was funny yes also very creepy as it had that supernatural aura about it.
The only thing that I found wrong with the play and this is a very very minor detail, is that in the second act neither Elexi or David were on top form with the line I could feel that there was a little bit of a slip up but I was watching with an eagle eye as I was so entertained. These thing happen in theatre and shouldn’t detract anyone from coming to see this amazing performance. Well done to all involved cast and crew.