Ha Ha Holmes

The inimitable Joe Pasquale, currently starring as King Arthur, will soon be preparing for his week long run in Ha Ha Holmes which premières in one of Joe’s most favourite theatres, the Civic Theatre on Fairfield Road, Chelmsford. What’s more it will be downright hilarious, as the comedian and national treasure follows in the illustrious footsteps of the likes of Robert Downey Jr., Benedict Cumberbatch and Jonny Lee Miller and serves up his own unique and very individual comedic portrayal of super sleuth Sherlock Holmes in the touring stage production Ha Ha Homes! The Hound of the Baskervilles. 

Joe Pasquale’s Sherlock Holmes will undoubtedly bring chaos to the proceedings when Holmes and Watson investigate their most dangerous case yet – hunting down the Hounds of the Baskervilles. With writer Ben Langley as Doctor Watson and Andrew Fettes playing everyone else, this sure-fire, wonderfully ridiculous show, is well worth an investigation.

Has the beast bitten off more than he can chew when confronted by our crime stopping team?  Will Holmes find his deerstalker and will the deer be happy when he does?    Stick some shag in your pipe and visit 221b Baker Street for the most gripping comic caper of the age!

Swapping spandex for Sherlock’s famous get-up Joe Pasquale recently tested his skills on the ice rink in ITV’s Dancing on Ice having previously captured the nation’s hearts to be crowned celebrity King of the Jungle in 2004’s I’m a Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here.   Our high achieving hero and action man is a trained pilot, charity marathon runner, Geoscience degree student and all round good egg.  

Sherlock Holmes has never been more popular with the current crop of films and television series honouring the tradition and you’d be absolutely barking mad to miss this pipe-smoking new interpretation of the most popular of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s novels from theatre’s funniest parodists!

Tickets cost from £17.00 - £24.50. (A £1.50 booking fee is applicable per transaction, except for cash and debit card payments made in person and by telephone). To book tickets call the theatre Box Office on 01245 606505 or go online and select your own seats at www.chelmsford.gov.uk/theatres. 

Spamalot backstage

I'm locked in a poky subterranean lavatory, struggling to get into silver leggings originally made for Matthew Kelly.

In less than an hour, I shall be enjoying my five seconds of fame, walking on to the Playhouse stage in Spamalot. It's not a demanding role. Listen for the cue, stride on, left hand on Sir Robin's right shoulder, double take, apologize and off Stage Right. But I do get a full costume, with plastic breastplate and rather nice soft leather boots, a radio mic for my one word of dialogue, a rehearsal and ceaseless support and encouragement from the friendly but very busy company, including the lovely Bonnie Langford, Joe [Arthur King] Pasquale, Kit Orton [whom I last saw in The Hired Man] and of course the endlessly reassuring Rob Delaney [whom I last saw as Posner in Chichester]. And not forgetting the patient, unflappable stage management team and the wardrobe ladies whose space I invaded for a couple of hours.

The cramped wings are noisy and very busy – a plague cart here, a shrubbery there – but I can see most of the action as well as the quick changes and the props grabbed from the offstage racks. And then it's that "aptly" cue, and I'm on … and off, all too soon, my one moment of West End glory gone in a flash.

Spamalot is running all summer and into the autumn, with stars appearing as God [on video] for charity, and the new Friday schedule, which has a 6pm post-work slot as well as a 9pm.

My brief review here ...