Although the weather has turned frigid I have just the thing to bring on the giggles to warm you up and take your mind off of the chill. So let’s welcome the 2025 theatre season with Circa 21’s hilarious production of Baskerville, A Sherlock Holmes Mystery, playwright Ken Ludwig’s rib tickling comedy inspired by the master of mystery Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s “Hound of the Baskervilles.”
Ludwig has taken the basic tale of Doyle’s spine tingling novel about a demonic hound that inhabits the moors of Devon, England and the curse on the Baskerville family and turns it in to an uproarious romp across the stage and into the audience.
All of Doyle’s characters are here, but they are played by only four actors: Adam Michael Lewis is Holmes, Noah Johnson portrays the ever faithful Dr. Watson and the rest of the hysterically funny characters, are taken on by Andrew Brower, Gillian Weatherford, and the ubiquitous and always a joy to watch Tristan Layne Tapscott. Not only are they brilliantly funny, but they accomplish what appear to be impossible quick costume changes, especially Weatherford who has multiple wigs. I have to assume they have a super hero crew back stage to assist them and who deserve massive credit for their contribution to the show’s success. They probably had to rehearse as much as the actors.
Director Corinne Johnson delivers a ridiculously slapstick show superbly supported by Scenic Designer Becky Meissen’s set which, at first look, appears to be rather simple. But, as the action progresses multiple pieces are rolled in, flown in, and at times thrown in. It is just fun, fun, fun to watch and the perfect distraction from the dreary winter weather.
And I can’t close without a shout out to the Bootleggers for their clever pre-show performance. It would have been easy to exploit the theme of the show with as many songs about dogs as they could find. Instead, they went with songs about questions – that’s what investigators do, right? They ask questions. The result was fresh and not hackneyed.
There is one warning for those who are sensitive. There are two scenes where stage smoke and fog are employed so exercise caution.
Baskerville continues at Circa ‘21 Dinner Playhouse, 1828 – 3rd Avenue in Rock Island through March 8th with matinee performances on Wednesdays, evening performances Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays and Dinner performances on Sundays. And, yes, massive street construction continues right in front of the theatre so parking remains at a premium.
I’m Chris Hicks…break a leg.