Sherlock Holmes is more popular than ever these days as TV shows with modern takes on the mystery icon adding to his evergreen appeal.
Now, the Cowichan Performing Arts Centre is getting into the act, presenting the play, Baskerville: A Sherlock Holmes Mystery.
After a successful Vancouver premiere at the Stanley Industrial Alliance Stage in Vancouver, the Arts Club group is taking Ken Ludwig’s witty, fast-paced opus across B.C., with a show in Duncan on Saturday, Nov. 19 starting at 7:30 p.m.
With writing by Ludwig (Lend Me a Tenor and Crazy for You) you can expect plenty of comedy around everyone’s favourite detective in this madcap performance.
We all know the tale: wealthy Henry Baskerville is threatened by the fable of a bloodthirsty hound on the moors near his new home and Holmes and Watson are on the case to sniff out the culprit.
The game is afoot in a hilarious thriller that’s anything but elementary.
Get ready for a dizzy dash as five actors play more than 40 comical characters, filling the stage with suspects, allies, and heirs in a whodunit to remember.
Director John Murphy loves that it’s spooky, too.
“Baskerville is definitely a comedic romp, but the play also maintains the original story’s gothic feel, so there are moments when we hope to scare the bejesus out of people. As Conan Doyle said, ‘There is no horror without imagination.’ We’re going to do everything we can to engage the audience’s imagination, by using the most rudimentary theatrical tools — like shadow puppetry— to put people in a place where they can believe that a mythical, murderous hound actually exists. And, of course, we get to spend an evening with the most iconic, quirky, neurotic detective of all time. Jessie Award winner Alex Zahara returns to the stage to bring this wonderful genius to life. Should be quite a night,” he says.
Directed by John Murphy, the play stars Alex Zahara as Sherlock Holmes, Mark Weatherley as Dr. Watson and Lauren Bowler, Mike Wasko and Kirk Smith portraying 38 different roles in this production.
Tickets are $40 for adults and $38 for seniors. If you also decide to book seats for the one-man show, Boom, about the Baby Boom generation, scheduled for Friday, Jan. 13, you can get both shows for $65.
Tickets are available in person at the Cowichan Ticket Centre, or by phone 250-748-7529 or online at cowichanpac.ca.