“Sherlock Holmes as you’ve never seen him before” is the promise of the first full-scale theatrical production of the Newton Cultural Centre (13530 72 Ave.), Oct. 22-31.
The Hound of the Baskervilles, directed by Ellie King (recipient of a Surrey Civic Treasure award Tuesday) for the newly formed professional company Bad Dog Productions, is a spoof retelling of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s most chilling, Halloween-appropriate adventure.
Picking up on the genre established by the stage hit The Thirty-Nine Steps, the adaptation by Clive Francis employs a small cast (three men in this instance) to play all of the characters, male and female, with often hilarious results.
But in spite of the lightning fast changes of character, scenery and costume, it’s also a surprisingly faithful version of Conan Doyl’e’s plot.
Holmes and his faithful companion, Dr. Watson, are called on to help solve the mystery of the Baskerville curse – a huge spectral hound that terrorizes any Baskerville family member that comes to live at the ancestral home on the edge of gloomy and forbidding Grimpen Mire.
The Bad Dog version stars Michael Charrois, Mark Carter and James Rowley, all of whom worked with King at the now defunct Raymond Burr Performing Arts Centre in New Westminster on such productions as Charlie’s Aunt, The Haunting, Harvey and Dracula, The Silver Scream.
Performances are at 7:30 p.m. Oct. 22-31 with a 3 p.m. matinee Oct. 26. Tickets ($25, $20 seniors and students) are available by calling 604-594-2700 or through info@artscouncilofsurrey.ca