The Hound of the Baskervilles

L.A. Theatre Works delivers a lively and funny full-cast adaptation of Doyle's best-known Sherlock Holmes tale. Of course, Watson is the main character, and Geoffrey Arend gives him a gentlemanly and wry air that carries the story. Seamus Dever's mercurial Holmes and James Marsters's fish-out-of-water Henry Baskerville play off Watson's steadiness, which generates humor but also illuminates character. The plot revolves around an inheritance, a family's shame, and a mythic curse. As a dynamic Beryl Stapleton, Sarah Drew makes the character's manipulations entirely believable. The reactions of the live audience add depth and immediacy to the performances, making for a production that will appeal to a wide range of listeners. A.F. 2015 Audies Finalist © AudioFile 2015, Portland, Maine

Starred review from November 24, 2014
Of all Doyle’s stories about the redoubtable Sherlock Holmes and his faithful friend and chronicler Dr. John Watson, arguably the best known is their investigation into what appears to be a homicidal “gigantic hound” pursuing the Baskerville clan. There have been numerous film, radio, and television adaptations, but rarely has one been as flat-out entertaining as this radio-like full-cast performance, directed by Alexis Jacknow and recorded before a live audience. Much of this is due to the clever script by Pichette and Wright, which includes most of Doyle’s original plot but manages to be as humorous as it is thrilling and, though set in Victorian times, ends with a refreshingly contemporary noirish twist. Assisted by splendid sound effects, the cast performs with energy, enthusiasm, and invention. For example, Moira Quirk portrays the 221B Baker Street housekeeper, Mrs. Hudson, with an amusingly flippant attitude. Seamus Dever is a sharp-witted and sharp-tongued Holmes, but, as in the novel, the character spends quite a bit of time observing events from afar (and is therefore often away from the mike). In his absence, Watson and potential victim Sir Henry Baskerville carry the plot, with Geoffrey Arend presenting the good doctor as a capable and humane straight man considerably out-charmed by actor James Marsters’s Sir Henry. The production also features comments by Leslie S. Klinger, editor of the Edgar Allan Poe Award–winning New Annotated Sherlock Holmes.

Storyteller Jim Weiss narrates this adaptation of the classic Sherlock Holmes mystery about a suspicious death, an inheritance, and the legend of the hound of the Baskervilles. Weiss gives an assured performance in even tones that suit the logical Holmes as well as his colleague, Dr. Watson, the point-of-view character who throws himself into gathering facts about the residents and neighbors of Baskerville Hall. Weiss's British accents are strong, but his characterizations aren't always distinct, which is occasionally confusing in a complicated that requires listeners to pay attention to detail. Still, Weiss's reading is engaging, and this is a great way to introduce families and casual listeners to a classic of the genre. A.F. © AudioFile 2014, Portland, Maine

February 15, 2015

Originally published as a magazine serial in 1901, this is one of the best-known Sherlock Holmes stories. Decades ago, Sir Hugo Baskerville was killed on the moor, ostensibly by a huge, slavering hound. Now his descendant Sir Charles has been found dead on the grounds at Baskerville Hall. Will the curse be visited on Sir Henry Baskerville, recently arrived from Canada to claim his inheritance? Watson travels to Dartmoor to investigate. He meets the neighbors, including a brother and sister named Stapleton, and learns that an escaped convict is on the loose. Meanwhile, in London, Holmes conducts inquiries and finds connections between Sir Charles and Mr. Stapleton. This adaptation reimagines the classic tale as an energetic radio drama. The dialog is lively, and the sound effects include storms, howling hounds, creaking doors, and train whistles. The performance is followed by a live audience talkback with Leslie Klinger, editor of the New Annotated Sherlock Holmes, who puts the story into literary and historical context. An excellent companion to the original text. VERDICT Recommended for middle and high school students as well as the general public.--Nann Blaine Hilyard, formerly with Zion-Benton P.L., IL

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