For a pre-Christmas and early January romp, hie thee to The Hound of the Baskervilles at the splendid pocket-sized Jermyn Street Theatre.First seen at the English Theatre Frankfurt, three hugely talented and versatile actors (Shaun Chambers, Max Hutchinson and Simon Kane) and their clever and brilliant director (Lotte Wakeham) take the Conan Doyle / Sherlock Holmes masterpiece as reimagined by the Peepolykus authors, Steven Canny and John Nicholson.
It is all deeply silly but extremely well done. A very mini-observation. As everyone is cross-dressing and playing a zillion roles, in line with Jermyn Street’s advertised policy of hoped-for gender equality, it is a shame perhaps that one of the actors was not female…but this might have baffled those whose first language is not English.
Having said that, in a more traditional production, Max Hutchinson really could play Sherlock Holmes and Simon Kane really would be an ideal Dr Watson - they are both perfectly cast in their featured roles. I’m not sure if there is any part that Shaun Chambers could not play. Well, perhaps one with an American accent...
Taking several leaves out of The Play That Goes Wrong, the Marx Brothers and Alan Ayckbourn, and with a nod to Marcel Marceau, the two hours whistle by. Yes, of course, this The Hound of the Baskervilles is deeply silly and the Sherlock Holmes Society might not approve of their Master being a subject of mirth, so if madcap farce is not your thing, avoid like the plague.
But if it is, and you want a merry laugh at this time of year, go and have a ball.
Those of you who are fans of pop trivia may be interested to know that the song Mistletoe and Wine, made famous by Cliff Richard, actually had its beginnings in musical theatre. When Keith Strachan, Leslie Stewart and Jeremy Paul collaborated to turn a TV script into a musical, they decided that they needed a Christmas carol.