The Hound of the Baskervilles

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s The Hound of the Baskervilles was the play we saw on the 10th February 2017. I personally enjoyed it very much, the actors radiated confidence and knew how to present and act out the piece. The main theme was the conflict between rationalism and superstition.  The message making steps toward finding evidence to rational solutions is more crucial than believing in irrational superstitions. The protagonists, two crime solvers Dr. Watson and Sherlock Holmes, travel from London to the countryside of rural Dartmoor to help an heir dealing with his family’s curse - the murderous hellhound. Holmes regularly announces absurd and unsubstantial clues in order to mock Watson, often toying with his associates at least as much as he flouts his enemies. Through Holmes, we see power of intellect, sound reasoning abilities and sharp observation skills. Jack Stapleton, the antagonist, tries to inherit the Baskervilles’ wealth by killing other heirs - as he was the long-lost son of Charles’s dead brother Rodger Baskerville. We see the resolution when Stapleton sends his dog to attack Sir Henry while Watson and Holmes are watching. Luckily, Holmes manages to shoot the dog before it does too much damage. In the end Stapleton falls into the moor and drowns (that being the biggest irony, since he had spent two years learning to safely travel through Grimpen Mire, a wetland). I personally enjoyed the performance and setting. There weren’t many special effects or complicated costumes - but everything that was presented was enough to make the audience (and me) feel as if it really was happening right there. The story itself is definitely intriguing, considering that a crime - or better a mystery - is the main topic. The greatest thing is that I was always kept on the edge of my seat - never quite knowing what was going to happen. I never had to look at my watch, which indicates that the duration was perfect (long enough to tell the story, yet short enough not to get bored). All in all, the show was entertaining and worth watching and I recommend it to anyone who hasn’t had the opportunity to see it yet!                       

Isidora Stojovic, 2b