Regenerating as one half of a famous crime solving partnership, a former Dr Who will be teaming up in Swanage with a previous mortal enemy.
The sixth Dr Who Colin Baker and Terry Molloy, also known for playing Mike in The Radio 4 drama The Archers, once faced each other as the Doctor and mad scientist Davros in the 1985 Doctor Who adventure Revelation of the Daleks, but now they’ll be playing opposite each other as Sherlock Holmes and Dr Watson at The Mowlem.
Sworn enemies the Doctor and Davros must now work together as Sherlock Holmes and Dr John Watson
Swanage director heads for home town
They are now on tour together in an adaptation of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s world famous tale The Hound of the Baskervilles, directed by Martin Parsons who lives in Swanage.
During a two month tour that takes in nearly 30 theatres in England and Wales, Martin brings the show to his home town on Friday 19th April 2024 with the Crime and Comedy Theatre Company when it plays at The Mowlem.
There will also be an opportunity for audience members at The Mowlem to take part in a meet and greet with Colin Baker, Terry Molloy and Dee Sadler, who starred in TV’s All Creatures Great and Small, before the show.
Although Terry Molloy is better known to many as Mike Tucker in The Archers, a character he has played since 1974, Terry still attends Doctor Who conventions and regularly records audio adventures with other cast members.
Terry Molloy has played Mike Tucker in The Archers since 1974, seen here with the character’s second wife Vicky (Rachel Atkins)
Active in the Whoniverse
Colin Baker is still very active in the Whoniverse, most recently reprising his role as the Sixth Doctor in Jodie Whittaker’s final adventure The Power of the Doctor in 2022 and starring in scores of Big Finish audio stories.
And as writer, director, actor and presenter Martin Parsons has also recorded audio adventures for Doctor Who and is a lifelong fan of the series, it is little surprise that he incorporates many of the stars from the series in his stage shows.
Fifth Doctor Peter Davison and companions from the William Hartnell and Tom Baker eras, Peter Purves and Louise Jameson have appeared in Martin’s onstage productions, and he said he was delighted to be working with Colin Baker and Terry Molloy again.
The run also features occasional guest appearances from Doctor Who companions Nicola Bryant (Peri) and Katy Manning (Jo Grant), but sadly not for the date at The Mowlem.
Martin Parsons and Kate Ashmead at their home in Swanage
“The Mowlem is such a wonderful venue”
Martin Parsons said:
“We originally staged this brand new adaptation of The Hound of the Baskervilles in 2022 to commemorate the 120th anniversary of its publication, but the show was so popular that we’re delighted to be returning to theatres in 2024.
“The key to its success was the pitch perfect performances of Colin Baker and Terry Molloy in their portrayals of Sherlock Holmes and Dr Watson and I’m thrilled to be able to bring two such fine actors together again on stage in these iconic roles.
“The setting is a radio studio, the actors ready as if for a radio broadcast, and the sound effects created live on stage, all combining to transport the audience from Baker Street to Dartmoor, as this tale of murder, mystery and horror is brought to life.
“It’s a rare chance to see such popular actors live at our local theatre and The Mowlem is such a wonderful venue. If it wasn’t here, Swanage would have a very different flavour, and the more we can shout about it the better.”
Dee Sadler, who appeared in the BBC’s adaptation of All Creatures Great and Small, plays Doctor Mortimer in The Hound of the Baskervilles, while Martin’s partner Kate Ashmead is also appearing in the show, as is Martin himself.
A meet and greet with the main stars will take place from 6 to 6.30 pm on Friday 19th April 2024, an hour before the show, where audience members have the chance to take a selfie and have their programme autographed.
Colin Baker and Kate Ashmead in rehearsals for The Hound of the Baskervilles
“What drama does best”
Colin Baker said:
“It’s a story we all think we know, but we perhaps don’t really know the original. The joy of this production is that nobody is trying to create the moors of Devonshire on a stage, what we’re doing is allowing you to listen, which is what I think drama does best.
“The amount of times I’ve been in my car listening to a play, and have reached my destination and stayed there, because I was so involved in the action.
“It’s limited only by the imagination of the audience, because we will give them everything they need to create the ‘pictures’ for themselves, and it’s a very exciting project!
“I’ve been so lucky and had lots of really good touring productions. I’ve played Inspector Morse on stage, and that’s a role I never thought I’d be asked to play – I loved doing it.
“I was very lucky as a young actor, I started professionally acting in 1969 and I was on telly a year later.”
It’s about time … The Mowlem is about to welcome Doctor Who stars for a performance of The Hound of the Baskervilles
“You have to go for your dream”
Colin added:
“I was drafted in to play a couple of episodes of The Brothers in the 1970s, because I knew the producer who remembered that I’d studied law, and it was to play the part of a merchant banker, who had a lot of that kind of language.
“He asked me as a favour to come in and do it, they liked what I did and wrote the part up. I was there for three series, which was wonderful. I was voted the most hated man in Britain!
“After that was Doctor Who, so I went from arguably the most hated to being perhaps the most loved character on British television.
“To play that part, having seen the very first episode – if you’d told me then that a few decades later I would be that character! You just never know.
“There have been parts I thought I might get and didn’t, but also things I thought I’d never get and did – so you have to go for your dream!”
Further information
- Show tickets can be booked via The Mowlem’s website
