The Hound of the Baskervilles

AuthorArthur Conan Doyle

Arthur Conan Doyle was born on 22 May 1859 in Edinburgh and trained as a physician at the University of Edinburgh, where he began writing short stories during his medical studies. His early experiences as a ship’s surgeon on voyages to the Arctic and West Africa helped shape his storytelling, and after establishing a medical practice in Southsea, he published his first Sherlock Holmes novel, A Study in Scarlet, in 1887. The character of Holmes was inspired in part by Dr Joseph Bell, one of Doyle’s professors known for his keen powers of observation.

By the 1890s, Doyle had become a full‑time writer, producing not only the famous Holmes stories but also historical novels, science‑fiction adventures such as The Lost World, and numerous short stories across various genres. Although he attempted to kill off Holmes in 1893, public demand led to the detective’s return in The Hound of the Baskervilles (1901) and later stories. Beyond literature, Doyle was active in public life—campaigning on political issues, advocating for justice in wrongful‑conviction cases, and later becoming a prominent supporter of spiritualism. He was knighted in 1902 and continued writing until his death on 7 July 1930 in Crowborough, Sussex.

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AdaptorsR. Hamilton Wright and David Pichette

R. Hamilton Wright is a Seattle‑born actor, playwright, and director whose career spans more than 35 years and over 130 stage productions, making him one of the Pacific Northwest’s most enduring theatre artists. Known for his long association with ACT Contemporary Theatre, where he first appeared in Buried Child in 1981 and went on to perform or direct in more than forty productions, Wright has built a reputation for versatility across drama, comedy, and literary adaptations. Beyond the stage, Wright has appeared on screen and in video games, including roles in Eden (1996), Survival Skills (2020), Then Is Now (2023), and voicing Osiris in the game Destiny (2014).

David Pichette is a Seattle‑based stage actor and playwright who, after relocating from New York City more than three decades ago, became a regular presence on the major theatre stages of the Pacific Northwest. His work spans Intiman Theatre, ACT Contemporary Theatre, Seattle Shakespeare Company, and The 5th Avenue Theatre, where he has played roles ranging from Guildenstern in Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead to Fagin in Oliver! and the Major‑General in The Pirates of Penzance. Pichette has premiered works by writers such as Alan Alda, Jeffrey Hatcher, Steven Dietz, Eric Overmeyer, and Peter S. Beagle, and he is also known for his long‑running collaboration with R. Hamilton Wright.

As well as adapting Hound of the Baskervilles, Wright and Pichette have also adapted Double Indemnity which has been widely staged across the United States.

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