Ha Ha Holmes at the Grove Theatre Review

Reviewed by David Savage

Last night (Wednesday 13 November 2013) I went to see Ha Ha Holmes and the Hound of the Baskervilles at the very modern Grove Theatre in Dunstable, Bedfordshire. It was my first visit to the Grove Theatre and it is certainly one I want to visit again. The staff were all friendly and efficient.

Starring Joe Paquale as Sherlock Holmes, Ben Langley as Dr Watson, Andrew Fettes as everybody else and Andy Pickering is the on-stage musician this is Sherlock Holmes as you’ve never seen it before. The Hound of the Baskervilles is one of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s most famous novels, which is quite a dark story, but the Ha Ha team have turned it into a wonderful hilarious and slapstick comedy.

While I have never been a fan of Joe Pasquale, as Sherlock Holmes in this hilarious production he was brilliant (I found him much better than I have ever seen him on TV). He certainly knows how to entertain an audience. For me, Ben Langley as Dr Watson was the star of the show and Andrew Fettes as everybody else, including Fanny, who spent half the play in a dress, was excellent. And I can’t forget Andy Pickering who sat on the stage with his piano playing the accompanying music was great especially when Joe Pasquale made him get up and apologise to 2 audience members (he just couldn’t stop laughing).

It starts with being if you don’t know what to expect to lower your expectations. Sherlock Holmes and his assistant Dr William Watson (is John in the novels but the name change becomes evident in the second half of the show) have been invited to Baskerville Hall to solve the mystery of people dying after going onto the moors and for the next 2 hours (including the interval) it is non-stop laughter with plenty of audience participation including singing, oohs and aahs when certain words were mentioned, holding props or even being dragged up onto stage to join in the act (I’m not going to say what they were made to do as wouldn’t want to spoil it for anymore who is going to see the show).

Not everything went to plan but rather than ruining the show made it funnier – like an audience member who was asked his name gave a silly name which the cast were unprepared for and had them, as well as the audience, in fits of laughter (and singled out the man for light-hearted abuse from Joe throughout the show, but all in good fun). 

The set is consists of a staircase, bookcase, a chair and some suitcases but all this is quickly changed into other pieces by the actors by opening doors or pulling down panels etc… to create different sets – very cleverly designed.

This has to be one of the funniest shows I have ever seen (even the cast had fits of laughter). The first half was really funny but the second half nearly had me in tears. It has to be, at times, the campest version of Sherlock Holmes and Dr Watson you will ever see. Great comedy and energetic acting as well as lots of innuendo’s which had you laughing even before the punchlines were delivered.

Ha Ha Holmes is well-written and performed by talented comedians and actors. It is a show definitely worth seeing and a great night out. The show is great but the audience participation made in superb (you could see all the men in the audience trying to hide when they realised someone was going to be taken up on stage). I had never heard of the Ha Ha shows before but after seeing this one can’t wait to see another.

A fun, witty and hilarious comedy that will have you laughing from the introduction to the very end.

Rating: 5/5

Ha Ha Holmes is on tour until 17 November 2013. For more information, tour dates or to book tickets at a venue near you visit www.hahaholmes.com