MARINE CITY, Mich.–As summer gives way to autumn, as the air turns crisp and we unearth our cozy sweaters, there is something else in the air, something a little less cozy, something harder to identify. It has an air of mystery about it; I daresay, could it be . . . fake fog!

No creepy mystery would be worth seeing without some fake fog, and Baskerville: A Sherlock Holmes Mystery, playing on The Riverbank stage in Marine City, is no exception. But wait—it’s more than a mystery; it’s a mystery comedy, and . . . sometimes the fog is pipe smoke. Director Brittany Everitt Smith takes the script by Ken Ludwig and offers this mystery comedy with a cast of five actors who together play a few dozen characters.

Renowned sleuth Sherlock Holmes (Brian Wyzgowski) and his trusted assistant Dr. John Watson (Samuel A. Wright) are summoned to help solve the mystery of the shadowy and legendary hound which has killed the wealthy Sir Charles Baskerville. Their quest to solve the mystery before Baskerville’s heir becomes the next victim brings them into contact with a whirlwind of rotating characters played by three other cast members: Jeffrey James Smyk, Eric Niece and Katy MacCutcheon.

The first layer of comedy occurs as we see Holmes and Watson go about in their stoic and brainy fashion, while the other characters perpetrate farce and mayhem around them, dashing on and off as characters come and go. They impressively change voices as quickly as they change costumes, treating the audience to various British, Irish, Spanish, Scottish, German and Texan accents. The logistics of costume and wig changes in the wings could easily warrant its own spreadsheet, and some of it takes place on stage—in a rather obvious fashion.

That leads us to the second layer of comedy. This show is not only a creepy mystery comedy, it is a self-aware one. Baskerville is clever enough to know it is a stage play, and it doesn’t care if the audience knows it knows. From the props that are tossed into place when called for, to the occasional cartoon-like sound effects, there is no pretense that the audience is expected to willingly suspend its disbelief; Baskerville seems to say to the audience with a wink: “We’re performing a comedy here, you are here to watch a comedy, so let’s have fun with it!” One of the best examples is when Holmes, with an “ahem” and a nod, reminds characters of their upcoming role switch and shoos them offstage for a quick change.

Although some of the jokes fall slightly flat in first half of the show (maybe a fault more of the script than the performing or directing), the laughs ramp up in the second half. Earning the most laughs is probably Smyk as Sir Henry Baskerville, the Texan heir of the Baskerville estate who wears his heart on his sleeve. He experiences love at first sight when he meets Beryl Stapleton (MacCutcheon), causing some great discomfort to Watson. Henry also develops a southern, good buddy-style attachment to the restrained Watson, and wails in melodramatic grief when he believes Watson has met his demise. Another favorite portrayal is MacCutcheon as the expressionless Mrs. Barrymore, who delivers every line in a monotone German accent even the other characters can barely decipher.

The cast clearly has a great time on stage as well. Since everyone knows that the play knows it’s a play, they can even enjoy their own ad libs when the inevitable hiccup occurs.

There is little to analyze regarding the set; one main set piece and a few pieces of furniture are sufficient for this show. Props are used sparingly and typically add to the comedy. Projected backdrops, lighting and fog set the mood nicely. The sound effects are reminiscent of an old-time radio drama, enhancing the “self-awareness” factor.

Anyone who can appreciate the wit and cleverness of a traditional Sherlock Holmes story, served up on a bed of quick-change comedy, will truly enjoy Baskerville. It is playing through September 30 at The Riverbank Theatre in Marine City.

Click here for show days, times and ticket info.