A WEST Devon amateur dramatic group will be holding auditions for the classic Dartmoor tale The Hound of the Baskervilles next week.

The play, being staged by the Tavonians Theatre Company, will be part of the Tavistock Music and Arts Festival in April and will also be toured to villages.

A spokesman for The Tavonians said: 'This play has been chosen because it is based on and around Dartmoor, so fits extremely well with the theme for the festival, 'Wild and Wondrous', a quote from a 19th century poem about Dartmoor by Noel Thomas Carrington.

'The Hound of the Baskervilles is a true Conan Doyle classic and has been adapted by Simon Williams providing a script which will work well in the atmospheric Tavistock Town Hall, as well as the village halls.'

It will be directed by Graham Dimmock in an art theatre style. It has major roles for Sherlock Holmes, Dr Watson and Sir Charles Baskerville, with about ten other roles for young and old, male and female, plus a chorus in the form of a dance ensemble.

The auditions on Tuesday, November 10 are at 7.30pm in the Function Room at The Ordulph Arms, Kilworthy Hill, Tavistock.

Rehearsals will start in January. Auditions are open not just to current members of The Tavonians but to anyone else who is interested in joining the cast or the backstage crew.

Further information about the auditions or about The Tavonians generally is available from Ali Fife, 01822 810897, [email protected]">[email protected], http://www.tavonians.org.uk">www.tavonians.org.uk