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Randall Theatre brings a funny gem to life Jon Oles, left, Brad Zentgraf and Robin Downward star in Randall Theatre's "Sherlock Holmes and the Curious Adventure of the Clockwork Prince." Mail Tribune / Denise Baratta Wednesday Feb 1, 2017 at 5:33 PM Feb 1, 2017 at 5:33 PM Vickie Aldous Mail Tribune @VickieAldous What would happen if literature's greatest sleuth, Sherlock Holmes, bonked his head and had to solve a mystery while still addled from his accident? The Randall Theatre Company in Medford tackles that comedic premise in its production of the play "The Curious Adventure of the Clockwork Prince." "Holmes has had an accident and he's suffered a slight head injury. He's asked to solve a mystery when he's not in the best of health. Comedy ensues," says Robin Downward, the theater company's managing artistic director. "He's still a genius, but he's not all there in this production. He and Watson are floundering around trying to solve a mystery that normally would be solved in no time. He puts on different disguises to try and flush out the villain — but they're not the best disguises." Downward is playing Holmes, with Jon Oles taking on the role of the detective's friend and partner in crime-fighting, Dr. John Watson. Downward and Oles joined forces in 2016 when the theater company staged a different Sherlock Holmes-themed play, "Holmes and Watson Save the Empire." That production was so successful the Randall Theater had Downward and Oles return for 2017 as the super-sleuth duo with the dysfunctional relationship. "The Curious Adventure of the Clockwork Prince" launches Friday, Feb. 3, with an opening-night reception at 6:30 p.m. Tickets are $22 and include hors d'oeuvres, drinks and reserved seating. The theater is at 10 E. Third St., Medford. Tickets for all other performances are $18, with any remaining tickets sold on a pay-what-you-want basis at the door. Advance tickets are available online at www.randalltheatre.com or by calling 541-632-3258.  Performances continue at 7 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 4, and Thursdays through Saturdays, Feb. 9-11, Feb. 16-18 and Feb. 23-25. Matinees are at 1 p.m. Sundays, Feb. 5, 12, 19 and 26. For Randall Theatre's first attempt at staging a dramatic knock-off of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's literary creations, the company turned to the comedic musical "Holmes and Watson Save the Empire" by award-winning Ashland playwrights Malcolm Hillgartner and Janna Beecham.  In that play, Holmes and Watson used their wits to survive a poison gas attack and defeat a villain. For the performances this month, the theater company reached back and found an older play, "The Curious Adventure of the Clockwork Prince" by American playwright Cleve Haubold, published in 1980. "It's an opportunity to bring a fun show back to life. We chose to do it because it's a more ridiculous comedy than the last one," Downward says. "It involves more characters, and the tone of the play is more comical." Holmes is summoned to the home of Sir Gilbert Mallow — the Marshmallow king of England — on New Year's Eve in 1899. The Marshmallow king's son, Bertram Mallow, is set to become heir to the family fortune at the stroke of midnight. Bertram Mallow will inherit a secret recipe for a new confection, licorice marshmallows. The marshmallows are destined to become so popular that the valuable recipe must be kept under lock and key. However, one of Holmes' greatest adversaries will stop at nothing to steal the recipe and destroy the Mallows' financial empire. Somewhere, hidden among the household staff and guests, the villain lurks.  "He's a classic evil villain who's somewhat bumbling," Downward says. Although not a full-fledged musical, the play does include six songs and piano accompaniment. "The music was written in the style of the great Victorian-era theatrical team of Gilbert and Sullivan, who wrote many popular comedic operas," Downward says. "The flavor of the production is very much in that same style — quick comedic lines, fast-paced scenes with characters that are larger than life." He says about one-third of rehearsal time was devoted to having the actors improvise new material for the play.  "A lot of the actors had a big role in coming up with parts, especially the physical comedy bits that are not necessarily in the script. The actors have been able to help create the show," Downward says.  He says one scene is reminiscent of a classic Marx Brothers scene in the film "Duck Soup," in which one man — who thinks he is looking in a mirror — has his increasingly absurd actions mimicked by another. "The script doesn't say what the movements are," Downward says of "The Curious Adventures of the Clockwork Prince." "The two actors spent time with each other and came up with the movements. They were able to embellish the script with these great bits. The play was funny to start with. The audience will not only enjoy it, they'll laugh a lot." The cast also includes Michael Williams as Sir Gilbert Mallow, Brad Zentgraf as the son Bertram Mallow, Rhyon Ingalls as Brighten the Butler, Nick Walker as Sir Sullivan Sinister, Becky Durango as Mrs. Alan, Jeff Mercer as Joseph Vomes, Erny Rosales as Ms. Lucy, Carrie Ann Eve as Ms. Melissa, Chloe Ronda as Ms. Jane, Annalise Williams as Ms. Anna and David Hagemaier as Lord Smithit. Elizabeth Suzanne directs, Rebecca Denley is stage manager, Nico Hewitt is set designer, costumes are by Toni Holley and Celetta Katski, Kelly Latham is lighting designer and sound design is by John Wing.