Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's horror-tinged tale is without doubt the most famous adventure of his most famous creation, the world's first private consulting detective, Mr Sherlock Holmes.

It's no surprise, then, that the Baskerville legend has been revisited on so many occasions, from stage to film, page to screen. With few mediums left in which to tell this most classic of tales, it was only a matter of time before some bright spark sought to combine them.

West End director Robin Herford and adaptor Clive Francis have joined forces with Oscar-winning set designer Timothy Bird, Happy Feet animator Shaun Freeman and a top-drawer cast to pump new life into the much-loved tale.

This innovative production is proof you can teach an old dog new tricks, as live acting and atmospheric stagecraft combine with state-of-the-art digital animation.

Yet however many fancy gadgets you throw at a show, without some solid performances on hand, the delicate balance between genius and panto that makes Holmes' adventures so compelling would be thrown completely off-kilter.

Thankfully, Peter Egan's Holmes and Philips Franks' indefatigable and cuddly Watson are on fine form, the latter earning a badge of honour for giving solid weight to what is essentially the good doctor's finest hour.

A little too much exposition and a sense of too many genres being thrown into the mix don't stop this being a hugely enjoyable evening. The new technology could perhaps open the doors to some of Holmes' less-seen cases.