(This will be an on-going description... please bear with me...!) About 3 years ago, I was listening to BBC Radio 2, one Saturday afternoon, when unexpectedly (for me), on came this half-hour comedy programme, starring Roy Hudd, one of the UK's leading variety/Vaudeville style comedians.
I listened to the programme, and was immediately hooked; but it wasn't until a few weeks had passed, that it occurred to me, that I might be able to write some full-length comedy plays, primarily for the amateur dramatics market. I suppose I'm lucky in that I have over 10 yrs experience in amateur theatre, whereby I gained first-hand knowledge & practice in acting, backstage work, scenery and props-mastery, also lighting arrangement/rigging & design, as well as sound effects.
However, I had already begun writing comedy plays, while I was involved with my local theatre, but there were not based upon the works of Conan Doyle, these were stand-alone, and although I still have hard copies of these, I may have to work on them later.
It was indeed, thanks to Roy Hudd,
(with whom I have been in contact in the past) that I now have 6 completed Holmes themed plays, and quite a large number of other potential projects underway.
In all honesty, I think it was the unusual manner in which Sherlock Holmes was portrayed, that really appealed to my creative nature, and I believed that I could expand this subject, by developing some original comedy storylines, and create some really strange foes for Holmes and his three cohorts; Dr. John Watson, Mrs. Hudson
(who I felt would add sufficient menace of her own "Battle-axe style"!) by including her as an integral character, being embroiled within the 'case', causing Holmes and Dr. Watson a degree of consternation and concern; and poor sufferable Inspector Lastrade.
Of course, any Holmes play wouldn't be the same without Prof. James Moriarty, Holmes's Arch Nemesis, so I have included him in
some of the plots. Overall however, I felt that, as Sir Arthur Conan Doyle had done with his original stories, it would be interesting to give Holmes some very unusual cases to solve, and some rather extreme unexpected unusual developments!
I hope that my unique perspective, and interest in amateur theatre will show through in these plays, and my diverse-if-not-warped, sense of humour will prevail. I enjoy writing these comedy Holmsian plays, and to be perfectly honest, I tend to draw from my favourite comedians of old, as inspiration:- Morcambe & Wise, Norman Wisdom, Tommy Cooper, Dick Emery, Buster Keaton, Charlie Chaplin, Keystone Cops, Laurel & Hardy amongst many others.
Without intending to defame Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's famous creation, I can but hope that my efforts, in creating a comedic variation, will hopefully be seen as bringing Holmes into a fresh -if unusual - and entertaining scope. I have always been fascinated by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's creations, and I can but hope that my theatre style comedies are seen as a fitting tribute to the man, and to Holmes as a fictional character!
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Thanks for the invite good to hear from you. I don't log in here very often, but when I do I'll be sure to say hi...
M x
I'm finally back on line after two weeks of no modem. We have lots of summer storms here in Florida and lightning struck my modem. I'll try to do better about posting and staying in touch now.
Cheryl Norman
My grandmother had a summer place in Whitstable, not far from your hometown, so I remember cockling and picking mushrooms in the meadows in autumn.
Cheryl
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