“Hound of the Baskervilles” thrills Torch Theatre audiences
Comedic Sherlock Holmes adaptation dazzles with rapid‑fire farce and a three‑hand cast at the Torch Theatre until 17 October.
The Torch Theatre in Milford Haven has opened its run of a high‑octane comedy adaptation of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s classic, “The Hound of the Baskervilles”, scheduled to play until 17 October.
Directed by Steven Canny and John Nicholson, the production reimagines the Victorian mystery as a rapid‑fire farce, with the three‑hand cast swapping between as many as fifteen roles each night.
Gareth John Bale leads as an over‑the‑top Sherlock Holmes, while Jessica Dyas assumes Dr Watson and Rick Yale portrays Sir Henry Baskerville.
Each performer is required to execute swift costume changes and accent shifts, a technique the directors describe as “a continuous accumulation of spoof and farce”.
The script leans heavily on physical comedy, cross‑dressing and deliberately chaotic staging, echoing the style of the popular “Play That Goes Wrong” brand of theatrical absurdity.
During the opening Thursday performance the audience filled the house, responding with sustained applause as the actors raced through the plot.
A tweet from an audience member during the interval described the first half as “asthmatic”, prompting the cast to repeat the opening sequence in a compressed five‑minute segment.
“Things are getting flippin’ peculiar,” a line delivered by Bale’s Holmes, was quoted by several spectators on social media, highlighting the self‑referential humour of the piece.
Technical mishaps – a malfunctioning fireplace and a wayward stuffed cat – were incorporated into the performance, with Dyas noted for handling the disruptions “effortlessly” according to on‑stage commentary.
Yale’s portrayal of Sir Henry, complete with a checkered suit and exaggerated muscularity, added a visual punch to the comedy, while his timing was described by the production team as “precise”.
The Torch Theatre’s programme notes state that the adaptation retains the novel’s Devonshire setting, using the mist‑shrouded atmosphere of Dartmoor as a backdrop for the slapstick action.
Local press has reported a full house for the Thursday showing, with tickets reportedly selling out quickly after the first week of the run.
Box office figures have not been released, but the theatre confirmed that the production is part of its autumn season, aimed at attracting both regional audiences and visitors to Pembrokeshire.
“The play does not take itself seriously,” a spokesperson for the Torch said, “and the audience is invited to share in the absurdity.”
Tickets remain available for the remaining dates, with performances scheduled each evening until the 17 October closing night.