HA
HA HOLMES!
AND THE HOUND OF THE BASKERVILLES
Jamie
Wilson Productions
at
the
Civic
Theatre,
Chelmsford
Hot
on
the
heels
of
Ha
Ha
Hamlet
and
Ha
Ha
Hitler,
Ha
Ha
Holmes,
an
irreverent
and
gloriously
silly
look
at
Sir
Arthur's
greatest
hit.
It's
been
reworked
to
accommodate
the
unique
talents
of
Joe
Pasquale,
who
effortlessly
assumes
the
role
of
the
"sleuth
detective".
It's
the
kind
of
show
which
has
a
warm-up
before
the
lights
go
down.
Ben
Langley,
author,
director
and
a
mean
Sherlock
in
his
time,
is
first
up,
joined
by
Andrew
Fettes,
who
plays
all
the
other
parts,
from
Moriarty
to
Fanny
Stapleton.
And
then
by
Pasquale,
master
of
the
stand-up
throwaway
line.
They
mercilessly
rib
the
punters
as
they
drift
in
… "Peggy
Mitchell"
… "J
R
Hartley".
And
they
are
upfront
and
honest
about
this
first
night
of
a
gruelling
tour
that
will
take
them
from
Yeovil
up
to
Glasgow
and
back
to
Plymouth.
"None
of
us
know
what
we're
doing
… we're
flying
by
the
seat
of
our
pants
…"
They're
not
entirely
kidding
either
– there
are
some
sticky
moments,
some
soggy
moments.
But
the
audience
are
happy
to
play
along,
make
allowances,
and
join
the
cast
in
a
happy
collaboration.
Just
before
they
don
the
deerstalkers
and
the
Inverness
capes,
and
whip
the
dust
sheets
off
the
furniture,
they
offer
some
advice:
"Lower
your
standards!".
Seated
stage
right
is
Andy
Pickering
at
the
keyboard,
ready
to
provide
silent
movie
music,
accompaniment
for
the
songs,
and
the
odd
bit
of
acting.
It
all
feels
a
little
like
a
poor
man's
panto,
with
an
audience
song,
and
"volunteers"
brought
on
to
form
a
Neanderthal
erection,
or
ride
the
stage
coach
– an
inspired
sequence,
this,
using
the
bookcase
and
the
stairs
to
make
the
coach,
with
someone
in
row
E
holding
the
reins,
someone
else
blowing
the
horn,
the
whole
audience
singing
along
and
builder,
biker,
cowboy
and
Indian
riding
behind.
Another
priceless
routine
had
Fettes
frantically
miming
the
story
as
Langley
told
it.
It's
quickfire,
frenetic,
over-the-top
stuff,
not
always
best
served
by
Pasquale's
laid-back
style.
He's
really
at
his
best
playing
himself,
bumbling
engagingly
through
the
routines,
looking
to
the
audience
for
support
and
sympathy.
Sometimes
difficult
to
hear,
too,
what
with
the
meerschaum,
the
microphone,
and
a
delivery
which
recalls
the
late
Sir
Patrick
Moore.
The
setting
is
versatile
and
stylish
– the
moving
staircase,
the
piano/reception
desk,
the
Aga
microwave.
Yes,
we
actually
see
the
three
of
them
prepare
and
eat
a
meal.
And
in
what
other
show
could
you
see
a
man
transformed
into
a
hound,
and
then
murder
a
Lionel
Ritchie
number
as
he
stumbles
down
that
impressive
flight
of
stairs.
Not
to
mention
inflating
a
rubber
glove
on
his
head
using
only
his
nostrils.
Worth
the
price
of
admission
alone,
I'd
say
…
Next
in
the
canon,
in
case
you
were
wondering,
Ha
Ha
Hood
in
2014.
this piece first appeared on The Public Reviews
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