Gallery 7 Theatre in Abbotsford presents Ken Ludwig’s madcap murder mystery Baskerville: A Sherlock Holmes Mystery starting on Friday, March 11 at the Abbotsford Arts Centre (2329 Crescent Way).
Executive artistic director Ken Hildebrandt said the “quite hilarious” production is among those that were postponed in 2020 because of the pandemic.
”I think audiences will revel in what promises to be a light-hearted time at the theatre,” he said.
Written by the same mastermind behind Lend Me A Tenor, the show is based on Arthur Conan Doyle’s classic, The Hound of the Baskervilles, and is presented in a highly comical and theatrical way sure to keep audiences laughing and guessing all performance long, Hildebrandt said.
The male heirs of the Baskerville line are being dispatched one by one. To find their ingenious killer, Holmes and Watson must brave the desolate moors before a family curse dooms its newest heir.
Watch as the intrepid investigators try to escape a dizzying web of clues, silly accents, disguises, and deceit as five actors deftly portray more than forty characters. Does a wild hell-hound prowl the moors of Devonshire? Can our heroes discover the truth in time? Audiences are invited to join in on the fun to see how far from elementary the truth can be.
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Performing the role of the master sleuth Sherlock Holmes is John Dawson, who has appeared in numerous Gallery 7 productions, including Freud’s Last Session, Shadowlands and A Midsummer Night’s Dream.
His trusty sidekick, Watson, is played by Koenraad Beugelink, making his Gallery 7 Theatre debut.
Rounding out the cast and playing multiple characters, often within seconds of each other, are Brady Moore, Curtis Maciborski, and Danielle Snider.
The production is directed by Jeff Kiers, who also designed the set.
“This show is unlike any other show I’ve directed,” he said. “In many ways, the presentation straddles the line between a ‘play’ and a ‘musical.’ Although our characters do not often break out into singing and dancing, there certainly are some theatrical norms that we are intentionally breaking. Our interactions and characterization are large, comedic, and often slap-stick.”
Costumes are by Emily Krack, props design is by Dianna Lewis, lighting design is by Ken Hildebrandt, sound design is by Ryan Scramstad, hair and makeup design is by Charlene Crawford, and the stage manager is Becky Cormier.
The show runs March 11 and 12 and 15-18 at 7 p.m. with matinees on March 12 and 18 at 2 p.m.
Ticket prices range from $12 to $30, depending on age and seating location, and are available at gallery7theatre.com or by calling 604-504-5940.
COVID health protocols are in place for this production, and audiences are advised that the show is appropriate for ages 12 and up and contains minimal and mild adult language.
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