Ken Ludwig's Baskerville: A Sherlock Holmes Mystery

​This show was an absolute blast! A hilarious script, a high-energy cast, and a playful creative team makes this design one of my all-time favorites.

​

One of the first things we talked about in design meetings was how self-aware the sound design was. The answer: completely! Watson may think he's in control, but it's really Holmes who's pulling all the strings. Because of this, the sound design - at certain times - had the authority to interrupt, reply, and interact with Watson as he goes about solving the case.

​

This came about in many ways, but my favorite are the "Clue Chords." These sounded whenever anyone - Watson or Holmes - used their deductive skills to come to a conclusion. Some examples of this are Watson Tries (where he gets it wrong), Holmes Deduces (where Holmes gets it right), and The Reveal (no spoilers, but if you know the show it's the final piece of the puzzle)! Watson Tries and Holmes Deduces were used at the begging on the show to establish the gag, and The Reveal was used...well, during the big reveal!

​​

The rest of this design was "comedy through melodrama." There are "serious" moments, but even they are meant to be silly, and this makes the piece all the more absurd! Listen to Top of Show and Prologue Transition along with A Doorbell to Hell to hear these differences.

​

Top of Show and Prologue Transition both serve to set the seriousness of the case, but try to remain melodramatic enough to convey the upcoming comedy. Doorbell to Hell is the way Watson describes the doorbell to the spooky house on the hill, but the sound still gives the audience a little wink!