Syracuse Stage closes the 2015-16 theater season with "Ken Ludwig's Baskerville: A Sherlock Holmes Mystery". Directed by Peter Amster ("A Christmas Carol", "Moby Dick" at Stage), this madcap mystery, penned by award winning playwright Ken Ludwig ("Lend Me a Tenor", "Crazy for You"), is based on Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's "The Hound of the Baskervilles", but this version handles the mystery with tongue-in-cheek zaniness, a cast of five playing over 30 roles, and a sense of unhidden self-awareness and even deprecation as Ludwig performs satirical surgery on the heralded crime sleuth's famous case.

Set in Holmes' England in the 1890's, we are firmly grounded in familiarity with great period costuming by Tracy Dorman combined with the palpable scenic design by Adam Koch which virtually drips with the mystery of the moors of southern England. Cliffs and caverns appear, enveloped in fog, as Sherlock and Dr. Watson attempt to unravel the mystery of the hellhound.

Matthew Greer (Holmes) and Liam Craig (Watson) are the only actors with single roles. Gil Brady, Jonathan Spivey, and Barbra Wengerd do some amazing heavy lifting in fleshing out various characters among them. Role and costume changes are made with lightning speed, and, as the show progresses, with purposeful lack of attention to detail to the extent where stage directions are often muttered between actors. The juxtaposition of the serious setting and the main characters' mission to the off-handed foolery by which they solve the mystery is what makes the show fun to watch. Suffice it to say, this is not your grandfather's Sherlock Holmes.

Nonetheless, Greer and Craig, fully looking the parts and speaking as if from Baker Street, London, are a believable match with quick-witted verbal sparring, combined with physicality endemic to these iconic crime solvers. If you're a fan of subtle British humor, you won't be disappointed.

The hallmarks of this production are the over-the-top, skillful physicality of the acting ensemble combined with split-second timing, together with the amazing visual and sonic touches produced by the behind-the-scenes technical design wizards at Syracuse Stage.

As Holmes and Watson make their way through a variety of suspects while unraveling the case, we are treated to a myriad of interesting characters appearing and disappearing through countless entrances and exits. And all the while, the stage undergoes physical changes, creating a variety of moods, most of which are sinister and foreboding, as rear wall projections are employed to enhance mood with lightning strikes, thunder, and an oversized projection of the hellhound, replete with yellow eyes. If following the case misses the mark for you, your eyes and ears won't mind at all.

The Details

Length of Production: Two hours, 10 minutes, including intermission.

Attendance: Near full-house on opening night.

Family Guide: Almost all ages will appreciate, except young children. There is considerable staged violence with occasional gunfire.

Info: Syracuse Stage presents "Ken Ludwig's Baskerville: A Sherlock Holmes Mystery" from May 11 through May 29 in the Archbold Theater, 820 E. Genesee St., Syracuse. For tickets and other information: 315-443-3275 and www.SyracuseStage.org.

CNY Theater Guide