The Final Problem Reviewed
(
22/03/2012)
It's all very well us telling you how delighted we are with our range of
Sherlock Holmes adventures, but there's an even greater joy that comes from hearing others have loved them too. To that end, here's
The Baker Street Blog waxing lyrical on the subject of recent release
The Final Problem and The Empty House:
'This is simply an excellent dramatization of one of the highlights of the canon, and well worth a listen.
Much of the power of this audio comes not just from drawing from the canon, but also in its staging - beginning with the sound of pen scratching against paper, followed by Watson's (Richard Earl) narration, the story kicks into high gear. It's a moody, atmospheric approach that simply grabs the listener's attention and will not let go. Part of the success is also the way in which Nicholas Briggs plays Holmes - in these stories, rather than play it large, Briggs performs Holmes at almost a whisper pitch, and it is this approach that makes this audio set enthralling, so much so that you will be sorely tempted to order the other audios in the series.
One of the great aspects of the canon is that it can be adapted and moulded towards a modern sensibility (witness Steven Moffat and Mark Gatiss'
Sherlock); however, what Nicholas Briggs and Big Finish have done is to make it appealing to a modern ear by focusing on the clarity and simplicity of the original language, making this as much a testament to the skill of Conan Doyle's writing as much as to the appeal of his characters. The fact that his language seems so appropriate to a 21st century medium - and audience - makes this a clear statement of Conan Doyle's career as an author. The audio does something very few adaptations do - draws upon the strength of Conan Doyle's writing style. Eerily atmospheric, this audio is worth adding to your collection.'
And we can't say fairer than that.