Brisbane review: The Baskerville Hound Keeps Audience Guessing

Production: The Hound of the Baskervilles

Writer: Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

Adapted by Tim Burchill and Catherine O’Reilly

(By permission of Stage Scripts )

Company: Upstage Theatre

Director: June Tretheway, David Bell.

Location: Wonargo, Scout Hall, 62 Flower St. Northgate

Season: 28 March-12 April (Fri, Sat. Sun.) 7: 30 pm

Bookings: www.trybookings.com/cxzuf

Brisbane has proudly welcomed several emerging theatre groups recently. Upstage Theatre Queensland is no exception. It’s a new North Brisbane Community Theatre, their instigator is Virginia Gray. Upstage opened its inaugural season at the Wonargo Scout Hall, in Northgate recently, with Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s most spine chilling murder mystery, The Hound of the Baskervilles, which features his favourite consulting detective, Sherlock Holmes!  

Conan Doyle, a Scotsman, wrote in the 19th.Century. He worked both as a Doctor of medicine, and as a writer. He’s noted for writing many popular crime novels which have been adapted for theatre and film and which feature his fictional detective Sherlock Holmes. He was a prolific writer, his crime stories and plays featuring Sherlock Holmes and his side-kick Dr Watson have influenced subsequent crime writers and stories over the years. His vast range of work includes: fantasy, science fiction and humorous stories, along with plays, romance, poetry, non-fiction, and historical novels. Of special mention his “J Habakuk Jephson’s Statement” helped to popularise the mystery of the Mary Celeste ship found drifting at sea with no one aboard. 

The Hound of The Baskervilles featuring Sherlock Holmes is one of Doyle’s most successful murder mysteries. Sir Charles Baskerville has been found dead outside his manor house. It appears that he has been attacked by a huge, hungry, hound dog that is heard roaming the moors at night, leaving the locals fearful. This hound seems to have caused the demise of other family members at the Baskerville Mansion. It is thought that the death of Sir Charles was accidental, but Sherlock Holmes and Dr Watson uncover some unpleasant and alarming truths. Dr Watson is left to oversee and monitor the nephew, Sir Henry Baskerville’s movements at the manor, while Sherlock Holmes investigates other aspects. There are several red herrings which leave the audience wondering, but Holmes is finally able to piece together some complicated motives and relationships and with the help of Dr Watson, he is able to expose the real motivation and reason for Sir Henry Baskerville being back at the manor and the real connection between him and Mrs Laura Lyons( Jessica Fletcher), Mrs Franklind’s disowned daughter, along with the real defendant, Roger Baskerville or Jack Stapleton,(Andrew Paltridge), who has been caught out because he has lied to Holmes and Watson. 

This first production from Upstage Theatre included a large cast of keen players, led by Sherlock Holmes (Toby Chittenden), who captured the essence of Sherlock Holmes with detail and finesse, in the manner audiences have become accustomed to know. Dr Watson (Shaun King), provided a solid back up as the officer assigned to monitor Sir Henry Baskerville (Grant Caldwell) at the manor.

While some characters lacked pace and energy, notable performances were seen by: Mrs Barrymore, (Cathy Radbourne) and Mrs Franklind (Virginia Gray). The directors have used some well-established theatre techniques throughout. In Act 2, there was a greater intensity and interaction seen. The set was simply painted and planned, in the style of the period; scene changes were indicated by light fades, curtain and black outs. The costumes complemented the narrative and were for the most part appropriate to the times. The Hound of The Baskervilles is a murder mystery, which kept everyone guessing!