Playing Sir Arthur Conan Doyle for laughs–really? Yep, it happens in the latest production from Actors’ Summit (a Knight arts grantee): the regional premiere of Steven Canny and John Nicholson’s version of “Hound of the Baskervilles”

It wasn’t surprising to see in the program that Nicholson had once been part of the Edinburgh (Scotland) Fringe Festival. That’s the place where zany take-offs on traditional stories or plays – usually done with a few actors playing several roles and screwing up the plot line – make history.

“Hound of the Baskervilles” certainly fits the description. Three actors play 15 parts. You can just imagine the number of costume changes that requires. Stuart Hoffman alone plays Sherlock as well as a train conductor, a local yokel and two couples (Stapleton and Cecile Stapleton, and Mr. and Mrs. Barrymore).

“Hound of the Baskervilles” is a comic adaptation of Arthur Conan Doyle’s novel of the same title. Adapted for the stage, the story follows Sherlock and his faithful (but often clueless) companion Dr. Watson, who are summoned to protect the life of Sir Henry Baskerville. Sir Henry is the last of the Baskervilles. His relative recently died under suspicious circumstances. The locals believe in an ancient myth that the moors are inhabited by a giant hound, capable not only of frightening people to death, but physically attacking them as well.

Ineptitude and ironic confusion tell the tale. Frank Jackman (as Dr. Watson) pontificates the way that character does in every Doyle tale, sure of himself and his ratiocination, only to not recognize Holmes – even when the sleuth identifies himself. Jackman is the comic center of this production; he knows when to hold back and when to let loose. In one scene, he drags out a long bellowing “I don’t believe this” take that had the audience in stitches at the performance I attended.

Hoffman has to exhaust himself with all the switches of character – but that quality works in this comedy gone wild, for the frenzy of the dramatic pace calls for this sort of behavior. He is utterly recognizable as male or female, yokel or lord, but it hardly matters as the crazy mystery starts heading toward its conclusion.

Jim Fippen (as a couple of Baskervilles) is the emotional center of the play. The actors immediately go out of character – perhaps not the best writing decision, since the audience hasn’t really been drawn in to the tale at that point. Fippen is the center of all the issues – even to where he’s afraid of the storyline of the predatory dog that is out to kill the central character.

Left to right: Jim Fippen, Frank Jackman and Stuart Hoffman in the regional-premiere production of “Hound of the Baskervilles” by Actors’ Summit. Photo via examiner.com

This kind of play isn’t for everyone. If open zaniness, disregard for the four walls of a drama, and a clean storyline are what you need, this isn’t the one. With this show, theatergoers need to let go and watch where the actors take them, without having any notion of what may happen next.

Perhaps one of the best scenes is the beginning of the second act, when the characters retell the first act in quick fashion. At first you might groan and think “get on with it,” but the actors make it such fun that you hang on and are actually satisfied with watching actors act.

“Hound of the Baskervilles” is playing at 8 p.m. Thursday-Saturday and 2 p.m. on Sunday through December 21 at the Actors’ Summit space at Greystone Hall, 103 High St., Akron; 330-374-7568; www.actorssummit.org. Tickets are $33 ($28 for seniors and $10 for students).