Through May 10
Re-sexed and re-housed, Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson return to solve yet another mystery.
Now at Great Lakes Theater, the magnificent detective duo still solve crimes, but they’ve moved forward in time (it’s now post-pandemic 2021) and they are now women. Well, kinda women—at least they wear dresses and fancy flowing pants.
Playwright Kate Hamill has modernized the classic Sherlock Holmes detective meme and kept the classic Arthur Conon Doyle mystery elements that tickle our fancy. Life’s all still a chase for golden rings, revenge, murder and dominance.
The story begins when Watson, an out-of-luck American newly arrived in London, rents half of Ms. Holmes’ apartment. Most of the action takes place there, and it’s fun to watch them maneuver around the elaborate Jeff Herrmann design. It evokes the Victorian era with cluttered décor featuring a skeleton, fancy dishes, old paintings, tiny bric-a-brac—in short, it reflects Holmes’ utter indifference to external neatness. All she cares about is solving problems.
An intense Jodi Dominick shines as the fixated Holmes, whose brain wraps around reality in original ways. She’d be a bit awkward to live with, but none of that bothers Ms. Joan Watson (Yadira Correa). Correa’s zany, likeable Dr. Watson offers emotional insights into the mysteries they study. Holmes uses her as a ploy, but her presence perks up the action and help makes us care.
Even though there are times when Hamill tries to pack too many Sherlock Holmes stories into one play (you’ll recognize bits here and there) or tries too hard get in contemporary digs (one thinly disguised character is named Elliot Monk, a Texas billionaire), overall the play’s a grand effort and a tour de force.
Two other actors complete the cast (and also make the story spin). A sometimes glam, sometimes earthy Emjoy Gavino flits from one female character to another with apparent ease. Rex Young does the same character switch, playing multiple “male” roles. It was thrilling fun to see what personality each would wear next. Hats (or wigs) off to both.
Only four actors? Yes, but when one adds Gavino and Young’s characters, plus Holmes’ neurotic persona and Watson’s kindly nature, there seemed to be many more onstage than the four listed in the program.
Costume designer Yvonne Miranda and hair and wig designer Nicholas Lynch-Voris provide looks that speak for each character’s unique attributes. Others who contribute include Jason Fassi, Joshua Schmidt, Nick Steen and Nicki Cathro.
Bottom Line: Vastly entertaining, extremely well-acted, but do not go if you’re sleepy or you might miss something. It’s a very dialogue-heavy play that depends on close attention.
[Crabby English teacher note: Hamill copies Doyle so closely that if she were a student she’d be marked down for plagiarism. I know, I know, she treats other classic authors that way in her large and lauded body of work as a playwright—Jane Austen, Homer, etc., but still—it would be good to see Hamill remove her mask.]
Go here for tickets.
[Written by Laura Kennelly]
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