Review: Aerial feats of Old MacDonald; hilarious 'Baskerville' is a comic take on Holmes

Payomet Performing Arts Center has extended the run of this year’s Cirque by the Sea offering “Roots! A Farm to Circus Show” through the end of September. The show is an acrobatic romp through a cardboard and Crayola-colored version of Old MacDonald’s domain, complete with life-sized, papier-mâché farm animals and flowing and silken draperies meant to represent a rampaging fire. It’s staged in a tent on the grounds of Wellfleet Harbor Actors Theater, where circus-style bleachers conjure up images of clowns and trapeze artists. In this case there are no clowns, unless you count Old Mac’s juggling son (Trevor Pearson), but there’s plenty of sky-high acrobatic artistry.

About the production: “Roots! A Farm to Circus Show,” directed and written by Eleanor Getz in collaboration with other performers.

What it's about: The show opens on a simple set of a red barn, with rows of crops in front. In the background, narrator Scott Cunningham offers an edited version of the Old MacDonald tale, in which the farmer’s son Trevor (Trevor Pearson) inherits the acreage and hatches a plan to earn millions by growing corn to fuel production of high-fructose corn syrup. (We know from the start an evil plot like this can only lead to disaster and, in the end, a lesson learned.)

Throughout, the tale is told through the background narration and pantomime-like, often slapstick action onstage. Youngsters in the audience were particularly taken with this simple and direct approach. There is constant laughter from in front of the bleachers, where the little ones lounge on cushiony mats. All the circus-goers — young and old— are thrilled when farm guide Justin O’Connor announces that the audience should whoop it up with animal noises and loud cheers. (As he notes, this is certainly a departure from more staid, traditional theater.)

Highlights of the show: The acrobatics, both on the ground and above the stage, are truly impressive. The three female performers — Getz, Gabrielle Teddy Ment and Copper Santiago — are in constant motion. They swing on rings and tangle themselves in ropes above the set, without a net, I might add. There is a particularly stunning moment when Getz — dressed as a scarecrow — and Ment twist and turn on a trapeze. On the ground, there are unicycle rides and human pyramids.

And let’s not forget Pearson’s juggling. He deftly juggles everything from balls to plastic corn cobs, especially thrilling the youngsters. (What’s a circus without a juggler?)

Worth noting: The three female cast members are professional circus performers. They have all studied at the New England Center for Circus Arts in Brattleboro, Vermont, and all have impressive performance-related credits. And Pearson, a native Cape Codder, has performed and taught juggling for 25 years.

Go or no-go: Bring the little ones out to get an easy-to-digest taste of the circus world.

One more thing: Take along jackets for everyone. With the feel of fall in the air, it gets a little nippy under the big top.

Interesting fact: It was back in 1871 that P.T. Barnum and James Bailey created The Greatest Show on Earth, which was to become Ringling Brothers, Barnum and Bailey Circus.

If you go: 6 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays through Sept. 30; Wellfleet Harbor Actors Theater, 2357 Route 6, Wellfleet. Children $15, Adults $25, www.payomet.org  508-487-5400.

Sue Mellen 

Hilarious 'Baskerville' is a comic take on Sherlock Holmes' tale

A giant hound baying in the moonlight as it roams the desolate moorland of Dartmoor; a lurking escaped convict, and a master detective looking for explanations of what seems a fantastical family curse.

But wait! That’s Arthur Conan Doyle’s famed story, “The Hound of the Baskervilles.” What we have at Cape Playhouse, is a clever, hilarious homage/sendup of that Sherlock Holmes classic, starring the master sleuth and his doctor sidekick, along with a few multifarious cast members who play more than 40 additional characters. It’s all executed with super-rapid costume changes, outrageous elocution and accents, making for a captivating and hilarious evening.

Name of show: “Baskerville: A Sherlock Holmes Mystery”

Written by: Ken Ludwig, directed by Brendon Fox, performed at Cape Playhouse.

What it’s about: You don’t need to be a longtime fan of this classic ghostly adventure on the moor to fall right into step with the disguises, clever stage moves and ongoing mayhem, as Holmes (Chris Thorn) and Watson (David Lee Huynh) travel to Dartmoor to try and discover why Sir Henry Baskerville’s male ancestors appear to have been murdered, one by one, attacked by a spectral hound who roams across the moor by night. It’s especially urgent, since Sir Henry is likely to be the next victim. The sleuth and his loyal aide explore the moor and its famous, deadly Grimpen Mire, in a race to discover who, or what, is behind the deadly attacks. They also explore the legend of the giant hound. Is all related to a bizarre, butterfly-collecting neighbor, a taciturn house servant or perhaps a mysterious convict just escaped from prison? All this, and more, contribute to the suspense and fun.

See it or not: Playwright Ludwig has won favor with audiences over time for his comedic plays, with shows such as “Lend Me a Tenor,” “Moon Over Buffalo,” “The Game’s Afoot,” and for his recent, Agatha Christie-approved take on “Murder on the Orient Express.” He’s at his best in “Baskerville” with an amazing cast, adding to his Holmes and Watson characters a complement of three talented actors who inhabit more than 40 different roles during the course of the play. Less is more with clever, minimal sets, as characters fill the stage with their pranks and well-executed chases across the moor. It’s a unique combination of suspense, trickery and high comedy.

Highlights: Take on the game of identifying and counting up the multitude of roles played by Brian Owen, Nisi Sturgis and Jordan Coughtry, who are all astounding as butler, train porter, typist, maid, cab driver and a whole variety of strange countryfolk and odd suspects. As butterfly expert Stapleton, Owen is priceless as he chases his tiny, elusive prey, executing wild grand jetés each time he exits the stage. Each character sports a unique and nutty accent, from cockney to Castilian; note the especially wonderful Scots.

Interesting facts: There’s the cast of five, and there’s the fine direction by Fox, along with amazing costumes, lighting, stage movement and perfectly choreographed sound effects. But this play boasts some unusual additional help as well. There’s a special wig designer (Bobbie Zlotnik), a dialect coach (Thom Jones) and, yes, a fight director (Robb Hunter). All these particular talents are crucial ― and put to excellent use here.

Worth noting: “Baskerville” is the final show of the Cape Playhouse summer run, in what has turned out to be a memorable season of theater. It’s worth noting not only the quality of shows that were chosen, but most especially the diversity and exceptional talent of each show’s cast.

If you go: “Baskerville” is at Cape Playhouse, Route 6A, Dennis Village, through Sept. 9. Performances are 7:30 p.m. Monday through Saturday, with 2 p.m. matinees on Sept. 2, 6 and 7. Tickets: $54.50 to $104.50 including all fees. Call the box office: 508-385-3911, or visit www.capeplayhouse.com

Barbara Clark

This article originally appeared on Cape Cod Times: Looking for a play to see on Cape Cod? Our theater critics can help.