BWW Reviews: HOUND OF THE BASKERVILLES at Hackmatack Playhouse May Leave You Howling at the Moon

There are some interesting new trends in American theatre these days. While some productions continue to get bigger and bigger (take for example, Spider Man: Turn Off The Dark, currently playing on Broadway. With a team of producers, and a $60 million pricetag before opening), there is also a backlash against these over-produced, extravagant productions. For instance, Alfred Hitchcock's 39 Steps has enjoyed a successful run in the UK, Broadway, Off-Broadway, and a national tour. This show, like Hound, employs only 4 actors to take on multiple roles, and often inanimate objects. In theory, these shows are a producers dream; a small overhead, and the ability to recoup quite quickly with minimal set, only 4 actors to pay, and very basic costumes that can be thrown on and thrown off quickly.

However, there is also a misconception that these shows, because they only employ 4 actors, are EASY. Let me put that to rest. They ARE NOT.

Similar shows exist elsewhere in our current theatre landscape, in both plays and musical theatre. I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change; Are We There Yet?; Forever Plaid (and pretty much ANY other show conceived by Roger Bean) are examples in musical theatre. Having performed in each one of these shows in my professional career, I can tell you that they are THE MOST challenging shows I have ever been a part of. Yet, on paper, I suppose, some theatres may see these shows as not only a sure-fire money maker, but an easy show to produce. Hackmatack Playhouse is perhaps a victim of the latter.

First and foremost I will say that I don't want to pick on the actors. I will also mention that I left at intermission.

The uninspired yet somehow cumbersome and seemingly nonfunctional set defeated the actors almost before they opened their mouths. The script and piece beg for simplicity; yes, it is a busy show. Yes, the actors play 18 roles between the 4 of them. But it seemed as though the director, costumer and set designer simply left the actors out to dry. Small and easily moveable set pieces that SUGGEST a location are appropriate for this piece and theatre space....NOT a 5-sided wagon, barely disguised by black masking that required two cast members to move. For that matter, the black masking that adorned much of the stage not only looked haphazardly hung, but failed to disguise the (1?) crew member that was not a part of the cast, and impeded each and every scene change. The show boasts over "150 sound cues"; but when the actors are visible constantly, they also seemed out of character as they frantically sped off the stage to the "sound booth" that was in full view of the audience, to either play pre-recorded sounds, or voice them into a microphone that wasn't turned on. The director speaks of this choice: "Our production will take this script and put it into a modern radio play; our four actors will be engineering all the sound effects in addition to playing all of the characters. This creates, in my opinion, one of the most thrilling things to watch live in a theatre; chaos." Chaos was certainly achieved while clarity, character and comedy were lost. Yet another thing working against the actors were the lights that either didn't work or were improperly focused. Along with their placement, the board operator didn't seem to know most of the cues for the beginning/end of scenes.

It became quite clear after about the first 10 minutes that I was not the only person in the theatre that wasn't entertained; the only laughter was heard from a woman two seats down from me, and the creative team behind me. As I paced in the parking lot, contemplating my choice to leave at intermission (I've seen hundreds of shows from everywhere between Houlton to Tokyo, and I have NOT ONCE walked out of a show at intermission and not returned) at least 5 cars left. And the couple that sped past me to their car could only remark amongst colorful metaphors that they hoped the next show would be better. I hope the same.

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