Florida Studio Theatre injects a little humor into one of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s most haunting tales with a rousing rendition of The Hound of The Baskervilles, transforming the dour mystery into a quick-witted and comedic whodunit, with sharp-eyed Sherlock and trusty Dr. Watson put through their paces with tongues set firmly in cheek. Adapted by Steven Canny and John Nicholson and directed by Gavin Cameron-Webb in his FST debut, actors Patrick Noonan, Michael Daly and Tom Patterson comprise the minimal cast, playing 17 roles between them.

“As a comedic actor, shows like this are right up my alley,” said Noonan, whom audiences may recognize from previous FST shows such as Monty Python’s Spamalot and The Mystery of Irma Vep, where he also played multiple roles. “As challenging as playing different roles is, it’s equally fun.” This won’t be the first time Noonan has played Sherlock either, debuting his Holmes as a 20 year-old in a hometown musical called Baker Street. “It’ll be nice to bring him out again and dust him off,” said Noonan.

“Playing multiple roles in a production, especially a comedy, is exhilarating,” said Daly, an FST company member previously seen on stage in FST’s production of Complete Works. With a cast of three, every moment counts, even, or especially, offstage, where teams of dressers and stage managers wait in the wings to manhandle and makeup the performers before sending them back on. “The action is non-stop,” said Daly. “It’s just a wild ride all the way through.”

The Hound of The Baskervilles is currently showing at Florida Studio Theatre and runs until August 2.