Emma Gonzalez
Staff Writer
The play “Sherlock Holmes: The Hound of the Baskervilles” opened in Dailey Theatre last week and runs through this weekend.
A murder mystery, the plot is centered around Sherlock Holmes being brought in to investigate the strange murder of the owner of the Baskervilles and the continuous murders of his bloodline.
Sherlock and Dr. Watson are called because there was a murder of Sir Charles Baskerville. Witnesses said it was done by a supernatural beast. The actors have to find out who the murder was before the descendant of Sir Charles Baskerville is also murdered. It is a timely matter for the cast members to try to solve the mystery before it is too late to save Sir Henry Baskerville. There is a paranoia feel to the story as the show continues.
In the show and Sherlock’s investigations, accusations are thrown to reveal who the murderer is in the play.
The play had a spooky vibe to fit the spirit of Halloween. The goal was for the audience to try to figure out the murder mystery before Sherlock does.
Vintage costumes were chosen for the actors to follow the 1980s and 1990s era of the play. The sound crew created an eerie sensation by providing sharp, whistling wind effects. A feeling of horror evoked the audience, leading them to clench on to their seats.
“I know everybody is super into horror and scary stuff, but at the same time it’s not too intense for audiences who aren’t really into that,” Kessid Cooper, freshman biology major who plays Mrs. Barrymore, said. “I feel like people will really enjoy getting a little creeped out without being too scared to turn off the lights when they get home.”
The actors rehearsed three to four days a week to prepare for the performance.
“I hope people take away just how much work these students have put into it,” Erin Fleming, director of the show and junior theater arts major, said. “When we go and see a performance, we’re so caught up with the amazing lights and everything-we forget about the people that created those lights and the scenic design.”
Some actors felt that there were aspects of their characters that resonated with their own personalities.
“Lady Agatha is very collected, she’s more put together than I am in real life,” freshman biology major Emma Jacobson, who plays Lady Agatha, said. “When she does show the emotional side, I could relate to it more and it’s fun to play into that, especially on stage.”
Tensions were high as cast members were acting and trying to figure out who the murderer was.
One scene showed Lady Agatha slapping Mrs. Barrymore in a heated argument. Blocking, an acting technique that is the movements picked by the director, were performed during rehearsals for a few hours to ensure everyone’s safety.
The play included different forms of stage combat and technical scenes.
“It was kind of a challenge at times to make sure it’s realistic without actually getting hurt,” Cooper said. “We can’t actually hit each other, but we also have to make sure it’s not super fake to the audience.”
Participating in theater has given the actors an opportunity to meet new people and create connections with both the cast members and the director.
“I didn’t expect a kind of thriller aspect, but it was really well done,” Eva White, a junior kinesiology major and audience member said. “It wasn’t overwhelming, and it was subtle, and it fit the plot.”
There was an overall support system within the cast and was a fun environment to have for production here at the university.
“We are always there for each other and not being harsh on each other,” sophomore theater arts major Pierce Sharp, who plays Sherlock Holmes, said. “If someone messes up, it’s not, ‘Hey, you messed this up.’ It’s just ‘Hey, sorry about that. I’ll make sure to fix that next time.’”
“Theater in general is important for audiences because it keeps art culture alive and it encourages people to keep seeing plays,” Jacobson said.
Showtimes are 7 p.m. Friday, and 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. Saturday. Admission is free for students, and $5-$10 for others.
For more information, call 909-448-4386.
Emma Gonzalez can be reached at emma.gonzalez@laverne.edu.
Emma Gonzalez is a junior communications major with a concentration in public relations and a minor in marketing, and a staff writer for the Campus Times. Her interests include community involvement, art, traveling and writing. Emma’s long-term career objective revolves around working for a nonprofit organization that is passionate about helping a target group of individuals. Follow her on Handshake.
