“Great Scott, old boy!” The Huntington Beach Playhouse opened its first production of the season by introducing fans and audience members to the beloved detective Sherlock Holmes in this humorous adaptation, “Sherlock Holmes and the Portal of Time.”

The play brings together Sherlock Holmes with his crime fighting partner Dr. Watson, as well as beloved science fiction writer H.G. Wells, his wife and Albert Einstein as they set off on a journey to stop Professor Moriarty from changing history itself.

The story begins through the years 1918 to 1921 before moving forward in time to the year 1939. In this eccentric tale, the duo travels through a wormhole from somewhere in Scotland to Berlin to convince a future Einstein not to pledge allegiance to Germany during World War II. All this is done while fending off Moriarty’s spies and, later on, confronting Moriarty himself.

The first act was introduced with an injured Wells coming home to a worried wife. Later it was revealed that there was a mysterious connection between him and Einstein, and through this dilemma more characters were introduced. Eventually the Holmes and Watson duo took charge of the case and the adventure embarked. Throughout the whole act, the actors seemed to be consistent with their lines.

The transition through each scene was efficiently well-performed in both Act I and Act II. The second act consisted of the characters running around from the future and back. It built up to a finale that had audience members hooked until the very end. Overall, it was a splendid performance worth a second viewing.

This play has suspense, action and just the right amount of humor to make it a must-see performance.

The show stars Stephen Saatjian and Robert Purcell as the memorable and famous Holmes and Dr. Watson, respectively. Although other cast members delivered a wonderful performance, these two were magnificent and stole the show. The two spoke clearly and animatedly throughout each scene with great stage voices that were easily heard.

The actors all did an amazing job. Each one of them had their own traits that were entertaining to watch. Kip Hogan, Toni Beckman and Reid Barraza were remarkable in performing not only one, but several characters. These actors can be viewed in several different roles, with some returning in a scene or in passing.

Gil Morales was excellent playing the villain Moriarty. From the moment he stepped on stage it was obvious who he was performing with the way his body language and expression was displayed. However, a villain cannot be complete without a team of equally-villainous sidekicks. Vera Erickson, played by Sarah Hoeven, can be seen carrying out tasks involving chasing Holmes and Watson with a gun and performing duties necessary to let Moriarty succeed.

Now who’s to say the Holmes and Watson team cannot have new members involved? Veronique Warner, Lewis Crouse and Eduardo Mora definitely played their characters amazingly well and were entertaining to watch tag along with the duo.

Mora, who plays Einstein, did a remarkable job portraying a German accent and was amusing to watch, especially during the second act where he plays the present and future Einstein all in one scene.

Jane and Wells, played by Warner and Crouse, were two important individuals in this production who helped Holmes and Watson defeat Moriarty. The actors projected their voice across the room and displayed clear accents.

Overall, the actors were all perfect for their roles. They spoke their lines with such precision, the act was believable as if watching an actual conversation between individuals. “Sherlock Holmes and The Portal of Time” was simply delightful to watch.

The play was written by Mike Druce who has also written adaptations of “Les Miserables,” “And Then There Was One,” “Romeo & Juliet In Mind” and more. The play was directed by John Francis, who beautifully constructed this play to be magnificent.

With a witty sense of humor and brilliant characters, the play captivated audiences by keeping them hooked at each closing scene. With twists in each corner and a fast-paced theme, this show kept viewers of all ages present eager for more.

The first act is approximately 45 minutes. There is a 20-minute intermission between the two acts in which the audience is welcomed to purchase pastries, offered with coffee. The second act is roughly shorter than the first one. Each scene runs between five to 10 minutes.

The production will continue through May 21 on Fridays and Saturdays. The Friday showings open at 8 p.m. while Saturday showings start at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m.

There will be a special Q & A session with author Druce and the cast members after the May 14 8 p.m. showing.

Tickets for adults are $25 while senior tickets are $22. Students, Veterans and those active in the Military only pay $20 if they present a valid form of identification. Contact the box office at (714) 375-0696. They are open Tuesday through Saturday, from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m.

There is plenty of free parking available. For more information and updates, visit www.hbplayhouse.com.