SHERLOCK HOLMES

A review by Ellie Farrow

Having seen and read many different adaptations of this well character, I can say with clear clarity that I am a Sherlock Holmes fan. I find that every Holmes mystery an energy to them and, like with every good mystery, I am captivated.

Having seen multiple thrillers or horror productions on stage – plays that build a layer of suspension for the audience, I have found that it is an incredibly tricky thing to achieve. Atmosphere is easy to build, however maintaining that captivation is where it gets tough. However, as this mystery unravelled I found myself gripped with a ferocity that reviled that of a much larger production.

Like any good mystery, I feel like in needs 3 successful elements in order to truly work: charismatic characters, a strong story line and atmosphere.

The characters in this production were perfectly cast, my favourite being Lucy Grendle played by Vanessa-Faye Stanley. With melodramatic flair and feminist values, I found this character a perfect juxtaposition to this period of which the play was set. However, each of the characters had their strengths.

Peacock being light-hearted and bumbling combined with Watson’s humour helped to alleviate some of the density of Conan Doyle’s words, allowing the audience to laugh on many occasions (characters played by Doug Cooper and Phillip Mansfield respectively).

I found the character of Mrs Rochester (Imogen Smith) fascinating as she has the same enigmatic mind as Holmes however without the refinement. It was interesting to see the way another character acted when bordered with the skill of ‘seeing in pictures’.

Finally, Sherlock Holmes, played by Stephen Chance. I have often felt that Sherlock, as a character is animated and engaging in ways that few literary characters are and I believe that Chance brought this definition to life. A clever combination of stillness and movement, with quick fire fact delivery and a disdain that we have all come to know Holmes for, he perfectly captured the essence of Sherlock Holmes, right down to the deer stalker!

The atmosphere and set were flawless – hats off to the creative team. In honesty there was only one moment of the whole production I did not love. I felt that the moment the killer was revealed was a little anticlimactic. I often associate Sherlock Holmes stories as taking a case that seems impossible and proving it through the application of real life facts and knowledge that makes the whole story seem possible! However, at the end of the show I still felt a little flummoxed and that the conclusion seemed a little improbable.

That aside, I still very much enjoyed myself and found the whole production humorous and gripping. Congratulations to the cast, crew and everyone involved. Even if I did find the ending unlikely, it is like Holmes says “when you have excluded the impossible whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth.”