Sherlock Holmes

In an attempt to support the local "Arts", we attended a production of Sherlock Holmes: The Hound Of The Baskervilles.

I am aware I risk sounding like a moaning minnie, as I do tend to whinge at times, but it wasn't a very good experience.

The theatre was far too warm and had a poor layout, with the rows of seats much too close to each other. I have short legs, and still had no room to manoeuvre.

Many years ago I was involved in amateur dramatics. I understand how nerves affect everyone, in fact I believe they often contribute to improving a performance. However, if it is obvious, and if it affects your ability to "tell the story" of your character, it can ruin the experience for the audience. That's how I feel, and that's what I felt happened in this instance.


A couple of the players tripped over their lines. At one point, a spot light lay empty, because the actor forgot where he should be standing.

Beyond mixing up lines and "on stage placement",the magic, that is the breath of theatre, simply wasn't there.

At the intermission, we simply left, after squeezing out from between the chairs. We just didn't care to stay for the second half.

I do appreciate taking on such an iconic subject as Mr. Holmes himself, is a difficult task at best. For me, Basil Rathbone and Jeremy Brett, will forever be, equally, the embodiment of Sherlock.

There have been many incarnations of the sleuth who can deduce a person's star sign, blood type and occupation from a shoe print, some good and some very bad. There was a recent modern day adaption of Sherlock Holmes on British TV (and played here in Australia), and it was actually very well written and executed.

Perhaps my standards and expectations are too high when it comes to fictional detectives (the wonderful Margaret Rutherford was the best Miss Marple!).

A clip from the modern day TV adaption of Sherlock Holmes -



Margaret Rutherford as Miss Marple -