"Sherlock" A Wonderful Holmes

Donna Mackie, a major player in Oklahoma City theatrical circles is the widow of Harvey Mackie, Director of Drama for the Mount Vernon Players of Washington D.C.  Harvey Mackie, a fan of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle adapted and dramatized “The Hound of The Baskervilles” a favorite for fans of Sherlock Holmes.  This production was a ‘huge hit’ and Donna Macke has kindly allowed the presentation at the Jewel Box Theatre.

Director, Linda McDonald has ‘tied up a few loose ends’ and Mackie’s “Sherlock Holmes and the Hound of the Baskerville’s” is now an amazingly ideal script for the Jewel Box Theatre space.  This version maintains the integrity found in Doyle’s original Sherlock Holmes stories with one deviation only: Homes does not wear the signature deerstalker.

Starring Don Taylor as Sherlock Holmes and James Gordon Jr. as Dr. John Watson, McDonald has clearly chosen two actors with an affinity for Sherlock Holmes and an understanding of the period and times; Devonshire, England in the 1890’s. 

James Tyra as family retainer Mr. Barrymore and Jamie Brewster as Mrs. Barrymore are an excellent team and their characters demonstrate absolutely the typical attitudes we imagine a good English mid-Victorian servant to be.  Yet they are in no way stereotypical. 

Aaron Chartier is Sir Henry Baskerville, the young heir to the Baskerville estate.  Chartier’s presentation displays his growth as an actor as he develops a formidable presence for Oklahoma audiences.

 David Burkhart as Dr. James Mortimer the young country practitioner develops a very nice rapport with all of the other actors. 

The role of John Stapleton, the somewhat sinister new comer to Grimpen Village, Devonshire is masterfully portrayed by a relative new comer to Oklahoma City audiences, Tad Thurston.  Lana Henson plays Beryl Stapleton, long suffering ‘sister’ of Mr. Stapleton.  Her interpretation is a lovely blend of rebellion and honesty in spite of the frailties commonly found in Victorian women.