The magnificent seven-strong cast of Nailsea Little Theatre production of The Hound of the Baskervilles are all barking mad - real basket cases.

I went to the Union Street Sunday matinee performance of the final show of the season to what I thought was going to be a whodunnit murder mystery.

It is not, this was a novel interpretation of the crime story by British writer Arthur Conan Doyle featuring the detective Sherlock Holmes and his sidekick Dr John H Watson which was originally serialised in The Strand Magazine at the turn-of-the-century.

Don’t ask how but the Nailsea thespians managed to incorporate a huge gorilla, little pipe-smoking pigtailed girl and a Wurzel among its characters.

There are several ab libs and ‘breaking the fourth wall’ direct conversations with the laughing-out-loud audience but the line is blurred between what was supposed to happen and what wasn’t including the use of the occasional swear word!

The principal players are outstanding – Sherlock (Steve Harrison), Watson (Becky Kingsley-Jones), Ginny Watts (Stapleton) and his lordship(s) played by Charlie Delahunty.

Believe it or not there are 37 scene changes (ingenious use of moveable props) with the traditional set of three pink flying pigs positioned on the ghastly vintage wallpaper with mounted deer head on the wall of the Devonian manor house

We journey from a London railway station and ride in Hansom cab to a muddy moorland mire and Baskerville Hall with a steamy steam room moment along the way.

In the interval of the 2hrs+ production we hear background sounds of Who Let the Dogs Out? and Nothin' But a Hound Dog being played.

While during the performance I am sure I detected the Pink Panther theme music and then there is the eerie baying for blood from the hounds.

The love interest is played admirably by a voluptuous South American flamenco dancer (Victoria Andrews) and there are hints of other same-sex flirtations.

Bit of a cringe on the dodgy accents (or lack of), bloodied body resembling a lifeless Guy Fawkes puppet and all the crazy people including the escaped prisoner with imaginary horse (and demonic dogs).

Probably the most standout memory of this show is the marvellous miming and the support of the backstage lighting, sound and set managers with full marks also to director Phil Kingsley-Jones

Lots of red-herrings in the storyline but we won’t spoil it for those going along later this week – the show is almost a sellout but we understand there are a few tickets £12 adults £6 students, go to https://www.ntc-online.co.uk/

This ‘gloriously funny makeover’ play came from the pens of BBC Studios Comedy executive producer Steven Canny and writer John Nicholson and runs until Saturday, June 7.

Do enjoy, that's if you don’t die laughing.

• Nailsea Little Theatre company is back for a new season starting with The Charitable Sisterhood of the 2nd Trinity Victory Church a comedy by Bo Wilson directed by Sandra Goodall which runs from Sunday to Saturday, November 2-8.

 

Carol Deacon