Novel presentation of The Hound of the Baskervilles kept the irregulars engrossed
Hound of the Baskervilles, performed at The Albany Theatre, Coventry, Saturday 8 March 2025 for one night only.
Review by Charles Essex.
Afficionados of Sherlock Holmes stories would know that he called his part-time helpers, street urchins who supplied him with information, his irregulars. And thus Holmes referred to us, the audience, as he reminisced, focussing on the case of The Hound of the Baskervilles.
This was in effect An Evening with Sherlock Holmes. There was no action to speak of but there didn’t need to be. Jonathan Goodwin was in excellent form as he introduced us to eight characters, as the combination of voices and accents, mannerisms and gestures, and occasional sound effects conveyed the story perfectly.
Mortimer, friend of the recently dead Sir Charles Baskerville, introduced the story with anxious and distressed narration. Henry Baskerville, who succeeded to the title, arrived from the Americas, which explained his accent, which Jonathan maintained superbly whenever Henry was speaking, despite switching between characters frequently.
The only costume change throughout was Watson, whom Holmes had sent to Devon, donning a bowler hat and scarf. Watson was the main character in the central part of the recounting. Although the successful playwright’s adage is show-not-tell, ‘telling’ was clearly necessary in a one man show and it worked well here. Jonathan gave Watson a suitably practical and down-to-earth approach, speaking out loud as he told us his reasoning as the story evolved.
The driver of the Hansom cab was admirably cockney with authentic accent and mannerisms to match. Barrymore was Henry’s butler whose brother-in-law had escaped from the local prison and was hiding on the moors. Jonathan switched easily to communicate Barrymore’s pleading on his wife’s behalf, as she had been aiding her brother.
In the intimate setting of the Albany’s studio theatre, Jonathan engaged with the audience with rhetorical questions and occasional humorous remarks. He depicted Holmes’ aloofness and conceit at his own intelligence. This whole performance was an excellent example of how less is more. The set was simply a chair and an occasional table with a few props. The lighting and narration ideally communicated the tension. The sound effects of a distant dog briefly howling and gunshots were all that were needed in this gothic thriller on the dark and foggy moorland. This was an enjoyable evening, cleverly and confidently performed which kept the irregulars engrossed.
See what's coming up at The Albany Theatre next: https://www.albanytheatre.co.uk/
