Bryce A. Miller as Dr. Watson and Nick Freed as Sherlock Homes
Sleuthing meets slapstick in Ken Ludwig’s Baskerville, the New Jewish Theatre’s final production of the season. This footloose and fancy-free adaptation of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s The Hound of the Baskervilles houses a comedic farce within the walls of the popular mystery.
Here, the Gothic atmosphere, serious tone, and tension of the novel have been replaced with breakneck pacing, physical comedy, and general silliness. While this new take on the popular thriller has its funny moments, the transition of the source material to a comedy is, at times, clunky.
Set in the 1890s, the production opens with the renowned detective Sherlock Holmes and his loyal friend Dr. John Watson taking on a new case, the suspicious death of Sir Charles Baskerville, whose demise is attributed to a demonic hound.
The game is afoot as Holmes agrees to investigate the matter. His observation skills quickly unearth several key facts. Unfortunately, the investigation is complicated by the arrival of Sir Henry Baskerville, a gung-ho Texan looking to claim his inheritance. Worried that he may be the next victim, Holmes dispatches Watson to Devon to uncover the happenings at the family’s estate, Baskerville Hall.
As Watson delves further into the mystery, he encounters a diverse array of eccentric characters, including a peculiar butterfly enthusiast, some unusual servants, and Dr. Mortimer, the resident doctor.
Searching for clues amidst the foggy moors, Watson is eventually joined by Holmes. Together, the crime solvers face many dangers as they seek to discover who killed Sir Charles and who has it in for his cowpoke brother. Deduction meets the dumb as they uncover the diabolical truth behind the hound, a family fortune, and grisly murders.
While the NJT production is filled with plenty of rapid-fire laughs, those looking for the traditional Sherlockian experience may be disheartened to see the play stray from the source material.
While the premise of Baskerville remains the same, there are substantial deviations from Doyle’s story. First, any pretense of seriousness has been thrown out in favor of goofy, over-the-top shenanigans. Also, changing Sir Henry from a Canadian sibling into an American buffoon, a move that doesn’t really work because the accent, the accentuated traits, and the gun-toting heroics are a bit heavy-handed. As for Stapleton, the quirky neighbor next door, he’s too wacky to be a believable villain.
Setting aside Ludwig’s changes, this production is a good time laughfest, executed by an exceptional cast. Director Nisi Sturgis has assembled a troupe of performers whose pitch-perfect comedic timing complements one another well. Utilizing a cast of five actors, three of whom perform over forty roles, her crew is a whirling dervish of activity. Changing sets, costumes, and accents rapidly as they land gag after gag.
Leading the production is Nick Freed as Sherlock Holmes. His debut with the company mixes the serious with the sublime as he (mostly) plays things straight while the cast around him descends into bedlam. He is a believable Holmes who is often befuddled and perturbed by the antics unfolding around him.
By his side is Bryce Miller as Watson. Mixing drama and comedy equally, his performance as the dutiful accomplice to the master detective provides many of the production’s best laughs.
Bringing a slice of Texas twang to the proceedings is John Wilson as Sir Henry. Playing the fish out of water with comedic precision, he is an ideal foil for Holmes and Watson. He is also hilarious in several other roles, especially as Detective Inspector Lestrade.
Sean Seifert is the secret weapon of the production. Switching between accents seamlessly, he commands the stage in a range of roles. His company debut features zany antics as Stapleton, which nearly steal the show.
Rounding out the trio of actors appearing in multiple roles is Alicia Revé Like, who uses extreme mannerisms and goofy accents in a range of roles, including Laura Lyons. Her scenes with Seifert and Wilson are amongst the funniest in the play.
A barrage of sight gags, one-liners, and costume changes make for a briskly paced romp in Devonshire. As a comedy, Baskerville mostly works. Its biggest flaw is that, although it is filled with plenty of laughs, it’s heavy dose of farce and falderal often strays into being too over the top.
Nonetheless, Ken Ludwig’s Baskerville is a riotous work of local theater. This fun frolic is loaded with wonderful performances and takes the mickey out of the Sherlock Holmes mythos. Charming and whimsical, this is fun stuff.
Ken Ludwig’s Baskerville runs through December 7 at the St. Louis Jewish Community Center’s Wool Theatre (2 Millstone Campus Dr., Creve Coeur). For more information, visit jccstl.com. | Rob Levy
