"The Hound of the Baskervilles"

June 27 — Sir Arthur Conan Doyle would roll over in his grave if he could witness this adaptation by Steven Canny and John Nicholson. But Doyle's classic tale of horror practically invites parody for today's sophisticated audiences. Jean's Playhouse in Lincoln, New Hampshire presented this madcap adaptation, directed by Courtney Self with scenic design by Evan Hill and costumes by Ariel Couture.

The best way for me to credit the actors is to present them just as they're listed on the program. John Marshall appears as Sherlock Holmes, Mr. Barrymore, Cecille Stapleton and more. Christopher Sferra plays the roles of Dr. Watson and a "yokel." Tyler Mell switches between Sir Henry Baskerville, Mortimer, Sir Charles Baskerville and more. That's it. Three actors play at least eleven parts, maybe more. I kind of lost count.

The actors range over a large stage at a frenetic pace with many costume changes and props. As chaotic as it seems, this had to be a precisely choreographed production just to keep track of everything as the actors leave parts of costumes and other items seemingly dropped randomly, but still find everything when they need it. The costumes, some only partial, were fairly on the crude side and designed to be used and discarded quickly and repeatedly. John Marshall in drag as Cecille Stapleton was the best impersonation.

It was a hilarious show, especially the first act. After intermission, the high energy of the first act seemed to flag a bit. But overall, actors and audience genuinely had fun with it. It was an evening well-spent in the heart of New Hampshire's White Mountains.

"Mahida's Extra Key to Heaven"

June 26, 2019 — I haven't been able to decide whether I liked this play. It's low-key, except for a brief, violent outburst near the end. It had an intermission, but with a total time on-stage of barely more than 90 minutes, it didn't really need it. I'm also finding it difficult to review, but here goes:

On an unnamed island just off the U.S. mainland, unkempt, sloppily-dressed Thomas (Steven Michael Walters), an artist, has come down to the ferry dock, one of his favorite places to meditate. There he finds a woman (Aliah Whitmore) with a large travel case sitting alone at the end of a long bench. She's wearing a heavy winter coat and hijab, or headscarf, of the type Muslim women wear. He tries to start a conversation but she's unresponsive for several minutes, but Whitmore's silent acting is one of the highlights of the play. Her facial expressions say volumes.

She eventually warms up to Thomas' clumsy efforts to make conversation and we learn she's Iranian, a college student majoring in literature, and her brother threw her from the car after an argument and left her to make her own way back to the mainland. Thomas points out that she misread the ferry schedule and the next ferry isn't that evening but the next day. He invites her to walk to his mother's house a short distance away where she can spend the night. The door is always unlocked. She can sleep on the living room sofa. His mother won't mind.

Next morning, Mahida's on the sofa asleep, covered in blankets, headscarf off. Thomas' mother, Edna (Kathy Manfre), comes down the stairs and finds her, but doesn't seem particularly surprised. Mahida eventually awakens, conservative Edna grills her with a battery of prying questions about her nationality and her country's customs of which she has many misconceptions. When they hear Thomas begin to descend the stairs, Mahida urgently asks him to wait, finds her headscarf and dons it, carefully arranging the flowing fabric around her neck. It's interesting she can't be seen by a man with her head uncovered, although it has become obvious she's not strictly religious.

Finally, with Thomas and Mahida out for a walk, Mahida's menacing brother, Ramin (Adham Haddara) shows up at Edna's door, barges in without invitation, claims he's there to get his sister, gets some of the same line of questioning Edna used on Mahida, which he mostly ignores or scoffs at. It becomes obvious he's a much more devout Muslim than his sister. When Thomas and Mahida return, Ramin is there alone and Edna is nowhere to be seen. Ramin says she went shopping, which Thomas finds unbelievable. A violet scuffle breaks out between the two men, with Ramin easily overpowering Thomas.

The message I got from the play is that if we could accept, if not understand, our different cultures, beliefs and customs, secularism outweighs those things in our relations to one another. In the end, all except Radim, who storms out in a huff, understand this. Everyone survives their injuries, both physical and spiritual.

I never figured out the meaning of the title, "Mahida's Extra Key to Heaven" by Russell Davis. Presented at the Peterborough Players in Peterborough, New Hampshire, the play was directed by Players artistic director Gus Kaikkonen. Charles Morgan designed the excellent multiple sets, and Bethany Mullins was responsible for costume design.

I guess I liked it. I was never bored at any time. Performances by the four actors were first-rate, as we've come to expect at the Players.

"The Pajama Game"

June 12, 2019 — There are many songs that are so familiar to most everyone that we recognize them immediately, but have no idea of their origin. How about "Hey There"? Have you heard "There Once Was a Man"? "Steam Heat"? "Hernando's Hideaway"? Most of us can hear them in our heads and even remember many of the lyrics upon hearing the titles. But do you know where they came from? Well, the aforementioned songs were all introduced in The Pajama Game, a musical play that premiered in 1954. It has had many revivals, won two Tony Awards over the years and was made into a movie in 1957.

The play is now in performance at the New London Barn Playhouse in New London, New Hampshire. With book by George Abbott and Richard Bissell and music and lyrics by Richard Adler and Jerry Ross, this presentation was directed for the Barn by Chad Larabee. Brad Carlson designed the realistic set, a reproduction of a mid-20th Century factory with brick walls and high windows. Emily Kimball did the costume design and Shane Parus was music director.

Heading a large cast were Carly Valancy as union rep Babe Williams and Chris Cherin as factory superintendent Sid Sorokin. Tom Ford played the dual roles of union head Mr. Hasler and Babe's dad, masterfully handling the parts of two characters with dramatically different personalities. With the union in tough negotiations with management of the Sleep-Tite Pajama Factory, things get even more complicated when union rep Babe and superintendent Sid, on opposite sides of the dispute, fall in love with one another.

Frankly, some of the singing was a bit flat and the orchestra at times sounded like a recording played off-speed. But the dance numbers were excellent, thanks to Natalie Wisdom's choreography and the fine talent and energy of Caroline Attayek as Gladys and the rest of the dance ensemble.

The New London Barn is just that, a barn. The ancient floor is worn and uneven, but the seating is comfortable. A cow bell is rung to alert patrons the show is about to start, and again when intermission is over. The acoustics of the old building are not the best, but it can be forgiven for that. It's an intimate theater experience and I always look forward to its shows. Its overall record for fine entertainment in a rustic setting in the years I've been attending has been excellent.