The Hound of the Baskervilles (NHB Modern Plays) E-Book

Arthur Conan Doyle

• Herausgeber: Nick Hern Books
• Kategorie: Poesie und Drama
• Sprache: Englisch
• Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2015

Beschreibung

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's most celebrated Sherlock Holmes story gets a gloriously funny makeover. When Sir Charles Baskerville is found dead on his estate, with a look of terror still etched on his face, and the paw prints of a gigantic hound beside his body, the great detective Sherlock Holmes is summoned from Baker Street, with Dr Watson in tow, to unravel the mysteries surrounding his death, and investigate the ancient curse of the Hound of the Baskervilles... Packed full of the verbal and visual ingenuity that hit comedy team Peepolykus is known for, and offering abundant opportunities for silly comedy and slapstick, this version will suit any theatre company or drama group looking for a sublimely funny adaptation of a classic tale. 'wonderfully barking spoof' - Telegraph 'only the most pure of purists could fail to be entertained by this very funny and inventive take on one of the great archetypes of English literature' - British Theatre Guide

Leseprobe

THE HOUNDOF THEBASKERVILLES

adapted from Arthur Conan Doyle’s novel by

Steven Canny and John Nicholson

NICK HERN BOOKS

London

www.nickhernbooks.co.uk

Contents

Title Page

Author’s Note

Original Production

Characters

Note on Text

The Hound of the Baskervilles

About the Author

Copyright and Performing Rights Information

Authors’ Note

We wrote this play very quickly in the autumn of 2006 and then rewrote it very slowly over the following year. Sometimes it might not read like it, but what you hold in your hands is the result of months of trying things out both in the rehearsal room and on stage. We wrote it to be played – and played fast, so, if you’re thinking about doing it, we hope you take the brakes off and enjoy forcing three actors to do the job of twelve.

This script was written for Peepolykus, whose members have their roots in clowning. Their inspiration is drawn from the many memorable solo, double- and triple-act performers whose physical-comedy routines were honed in front of a live audience. With this in mind, it felt to us like an exciting prospect to approach Holmes and Watson as a classic comedy double act. A large part of the success of Conan Doyle’s creation lies in the pure pleasure of luxuriating in the world of Holmes and Watson. Our hope therefore was that we’d not only make you laugh but also enjoy being in the company of the characters – just as we rejoice in spending time with Laurel and Hardy, The Marx Brothers or The Mighty Boosh. These factors led us on to create lots of classic clown routines in the play where the physical pace and dexterity of the performers is as important as the pace at which the text is played. And through all of this, as for many comedy shows, rehearsals were largely about finding solutions to tricky bits of writing.

In the original production, the fact that a Spaniard (Javier Marzan) was playing Sherlock Holmes was a great writing challenge and a comedic gift. Many subsequent productions of this play, however, have confirmed that the script is not in the least reliant on the casting of a Spaniard. It simply remains that Javier might have been the first Spanish Holmes – outside Spain, of course.

If you like what you read then it would be shameful not to credit the other people who were responsible for it being made.

If you hate it, you can blame them. They’re the actors: Javier Marzan (Peepolykus Co-Artistic Director) and Jason Thorpe who improvised, messed around and made things funny when they hadn’t been. And most of all, Orla O’Loughlin who directed the first production, cut out all the rubbish bits and put lots of good things in the gaps that were left behind.

Huge acknowledgement must go to the brilliant Beth Byrne, whose expertise, dedication and sheer courage as a producer steered the original production out of some murky waters, through the Grimpen Mire and right into the West End. Thank you, Beth!

And also special thanks to David Sant (Peepolykus co-artistic director), Caro Newling and all at Neal Street Productions, Chenine Bhathena and Arts Council England, Henrietta Duckworth and West Yorkshire Playhouse, Neil Darlison and Warwick Arts Centre, Gemma Bodinetz and Deborah Aydon for Liverpool Playhouse, Kim Lawrence and Eleanor Lloyd for Peepolykus, all of whose particular support and encouragement contributed to this play ending up in your hands.

Steven Canny and John Nicholson

This stage adaptation of The Hound of the Baskervilles was first commissioned and produced by Neal Street Productions in collaboration with Peepolykus and West Yorkshire Playhouse, and first performed by Peepolykus at the Courtyard Theatre, West Yorkshire Playhouse, Leeds, on 19 January 2007. The cast was as follows:

ACTOR 1

Javier Marzan

ACTOR 2

John Nicholson

ACTOR 3

Jason Thorpe

Director

Orla O’Loughlin

Designer

Ti Green

Lighting Designer

Jackie Shemesh

Sound Designer

Mic Pool

The production subsequently toured to the Oxford Playhouse, Watford Palace Theatre, Warwick Arts Centre, Winchester Theatre Royal and Liverpool Everyman, before transferring to London’s West End for a season at the Duchess Theatre on 16 April 2007.

It was produced by Neal Street Productions, CMP Limited and West Yorkshire Playhouse, in association with Nimax Theatres, Ian Lenegan and Jay Harris.

Characters

ACTOR 1, Javier

ACTOR 2, John

ACTOR 3, Jason

SIR CHARLES BASKERVILLE

SHERLOCK HOLMES

WATSON

SIR HENRY

CABBIE

GUARD

YOKEL 1

YOKEL 2

YOKEL 3

WISE YOKEL

STAPLETON

CECILE

BARRYMORE

MRS BARRYMORE

Note on Text

The play is written for three actors. The actors use their own names (and play versions of themselves) when they talk directly to the audience. The cast names used in the original production have been used in this script.

In the original production, Holmes was played by a Spanish actor and some of the dialogue was written accordingly. For this publication, alternative dialogue has been included by the writers, applicable to productions where Holmes is not played by a Spaniard. Just in case!

The advised casting works as follows:

ACTOR 1 (Javier): Holmes, Stapleton, Cecile Stapleton, Mr Barrymore, Mrs Barrymore, Yokel 3

ACTOR 2 (John): Watson, Yokel 1

ACTOR 3 (Jason): Sir Charles Baskerville, Sir Henry Baskerville, Mortimer, Cabbie, Yokel 2, Wise Yokel

ACT ONE

Scene One

Pre-set.

Off-centre – a half-open door in a free-standing doorframe. A loud gust of wind sweeps through the auditorium. The door slams shut.