12:29pm Monday 8th March 2010
By Stephanie Tye
HE is best known for his parts in The Darling Buds of May and Heartbeat but Philip Franks is getting ready to take on a much more mysterious role.
The actor and director is starring as Dr Watson alongside Peter Egan in The Secret of Sherlock Holmes at the Theatre Royal Bath, and is relishing every minute of it.
“I love playing him,” said Philip, who played the role in a production of Hound of the Baskervilles, again with Peter Egan.
“He’s the emotional heart of the story. The relationship between him and Holmes is very intense.
“One works brilliantly from the heart and the other is brilliant with his brain. I think that is why they are such a good pairing.”
The play sees the infamous pair once again pitted against Holmes’ most deadly enemy, Professor Moriarty.
“This is much more of a psychological drama than some of the other stories about Holmes and Watson,” he said.
And he’s thrilled to be reunited with the team he worked with on the last production.
“Peter and I get on really well, which is a good thing really seeing as we are working together again,” he laughed.
“It’s also great to be working with the same production team. You can just throw yourselves straight into the business of the play rather than having to get to know everyone. It’s a wonderful group to work with.”
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