The name is Holmes
Sherlock springs surprises
by Christopher Key
Steve Barnes has been hiding his light under a piano. The immensely talented keyboardist is constantly in demand from local theatres producing musicals. After his performance in the Bellingham Theatre Guild’s The Penultimate Problem of Sherlock Holmes, he’s going to be in demand as an actor. His quirky take on the title character is as perfect as his piano playing. Those of you who are old enough will suspect Barnes of channeling the late Ed Sullivan as he stalks around the stage. That would not be out of place in this supernatural show.
The script, by John Nassivera, is not without its flaws. The first half is extremely wordy and the exposition is not always easy to follow. But the playwright hits his stride in the second half, which clicks along very nicely and includes some delicious Holmesian humor and a triple twist of an ending.
As in any community theatre production requiring accents, the ones in this show range from superb to (perhaps deliberately) atrocious. If you can get past that, the performances will eventually make you forget it.
The ubiquitous Sandy Brewer looks exactly the way Dr. Watson has always appeared in my imagination and his portrayal of the character is about a half-bubble off plumb, just the way Watson should be.
Marty Ponnech, who has nearly cornered the market in villainous roles at BTG, not only brings the sleaze factor to Dr. Moriarty, but somehow manages to invest the character with an unassailable dignity along the way.
Marty Ponnech as Dr. Moriarty draws the suspicion of Sherlock Holmes, played by Steve Barnes, and his handyman Dr. Watson, portrayed by Sandy Brewer.
One of the characters, who must remain nameless for the purposes of this review, is played by Riley Penaluna. If you loved John Cleese as Upper-Class Twit of the Year, you’ll delight in Penaluna’s performance.
Legolas Peter Crandall returns to the BTG stage after much too long an absence and delivers a star turn as Monsieur Dupin. Laura Engels makes an impressive BTG debut as Irene Adler and looks every inch the woman who could throw Holmes’ deductive reasoning off-kilter.
As the subject of Holmes’ scrutiny, Merrilyn Jones brings a powerful honesty and dignity to her role. She may be playing a medium, but it’s very well done. Eric Lysen brings an imposing physical presence to Inspector Lestrade, along with an original and unforgettable interpretation of the character. Nanc McNamar, as the put-upon Mrs. Hudson, delivers the kind of performance you would expect from a graduate of the Northwest Actors Studio in Seattle.
There are a couple of voices from the spirit realm whose unseen presence adds a lot to the show. Angus McLane, who gets around more than the Beach Boys, is the voice of Dr. Phinuit and the always-surprising Rachel Petersen provides the voice of Ellen Watson.
Director Nick McDonald is like a five-tool baseball player: he can do it all. He designed the stunning lighting and sound effects. Old Master Lee Taylor has brought off another amazing set and some of the special effects will leave you gasping. As usual, there’s not enough room to credit all the backstage magicians that make this show happen, but you know who you are and so do I.
This is a delightful way to spend an evening, whether or not you’re a Baker Street Irregular. And the ending will leave you wondering just who is a figment of whose imagination.
The Penultimate Problem of Sherlock Holmes plays January 30 through February 15 at the BTG playhouse, 1600 H Street. Curtain times are 8:00 p.m. for Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings, and 2:00 p.m. for Sunday matinees. Tickets are $11 for adults, $9 for seniors (62+) and students, and $7 for children. Reservations are strongly recommended and may be made by calling the BTG box office at 733-1811 from 1:00 to 6:00 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays. For more information: www.bellinghamtheatreguild.com.
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