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Cher Piette, Lorie Hubscher, Heidi Crane, Christopher Kelly Carter (seated), George Kobler, and John Coleman, examine a clue in "The Game's Afoot." (photo credit: Jeff White)

(JEFF WHITE)

William Gilletee as "Sherlock Holmes"

Theatre Huntsville is running a very enjoyable production of a Sherlock Holmes-themed comedy whodunit, called "The Game's Afoot", at the Von Braun Center Playhouse, through next Saturday, 17 September. The show opened this past Friday, and it's a fun, enjoyable evening at the theatre, with a solid cast, and generally impressive technical elements.

The plot is based around a famous actor, William Gillette, currently starring in a production of Sherlock Holmes, inviting some of his cast to enjoy the Christmas holiday at his castle in Connecticut. The play starts with a real-life mystery to be solved, and the situation degenerates as the bodies pile up, all of which is humorously investigated by the local police detective, and Gillette, who has apparently been playing Holmes a bit too long.

The fun historical backstory when watching this production, is that

is a real historical individual, who made his fame by writing and starring in the first famous stage adaptation of Conan Doyle's character. Gillette secured the rights from Doyle himself, and proceeded to play the part of Sherlock for over 1300 productions, over the course of thirty years. For a generation of Doyle's stories, Gillette WAS the image of Sherlock, with his picture being used for many of the books. It was Gillette's stage adaptation that first coined the "elementary" phrase, and introduced the curved pipe for the character to smoke. Additionally, the setting of this play, the Gillette castle, still exists, and is the centerpiece of a

. That said, this script is obviously a fictional event in the life of this fascinating individual, so don't take the "history" part too seriously.

This production by Theatre Huntsville is a lot of fun. It's mostly a "whodunit", but with a definite comedy flavor to it. The direction, by Josh Phillips, keeps the action and suspense moving, and finds the right levels for the comedy. Christopher Kelly Carter, as "Gillette", is always a power onstage, and finds the right levels, for both Gillette and his Sherlock alter-ego. Jacinda Rose Swineheart, as "Inspector Goring", is stellar in her second-act character, practically stealing the show. George Kobler and Claire Crenshaw also turn in wonderful performances, respectively as "Felix", Gillette's best friend and stage partner, and as "Daria", the theatre critic.

George Kobler, Lorie Hubscher, Christopher Kelly Carter, and Jacinda Rose Swineheart debate "whodunit" in "The Game's Afoot".

The technical elements needed a little more work on opening night, but will likely be cleaned up by next weekend. The scenery, by Kevin McDougal, is one of the more impressive sets in the Playhouse in recent memory. Assuming the bookcase/bar piece gets fixed, it will be a perfect backdrop to the action, perfectly reflecting both a rich actor's living room, and the setting for a mystery. The lighting, by Cynthia Meyer, and the sound, by Sabian Bush, is very well-timed in its multiple effects and cues, and work wonderfully together to support the action. A few minor costume items are anachronistic for the 1930s, the period in which the play is set, and it is a bit jarring to see a Sherlock Holmes with a beard, but otherwise, the costumes by Suzi Noble are first-rate.

For a very fun, worthwhile evening of live theatre, make the trip to the VBC Playhouse next weekend. There is a matinee Saturday at 2:00 PM, and evening performances Thursday through Saturday, at 7:30 PM, with the final performances on 17 September. Ticket information and show details can be found at this link.

For a more detailed review, and general theatre commentary for the Huntsville area, visit the Huntsville Theatre Reviews webpage.