The Death & Life of Sherlock Holmes play. UK tour:: Reviewed by Robert Graham

The Death and Life of Sherlock Holmes
by David Stuart Davies Starring Roger Llewellyn  

Review by Robert Graham follows after tour dates

Future tour dates
 
SEPTEMBER
Sat 6 Kendal Brewery Arts Centre (01539 725133; admin@breweryarts.co.uk)

Review of The Death and life of Sherlock Holmes Thursday 6th March at the Mill Studio at the Yvonne Arnaud theatre, Guildford
by Robert Graham.

Arthur Conan Doyle, in spite his fame and abilities, felt he was just an incidental conduit to the world of Sherlock Holmes. He decided he had to be rid of his most famous creation so he could be more fully recognised for, what he believed was, his more serious literary work, his psychic research and the other numerous and varied causes he championed. Thus, Doyle created an arch enemy, Professor Moriarty, who would emerge from the shadows and confront Holmes face to face in the pages of The Strand Magazine for an ultimate conflict in what, he hoped, would indeed be “The Final Problem”.

The opening sombre speech by George Newnes to shareholders of The Strand Magazine bemoaning the predicted difficulties caused by Arthur Conan Doyle’s decision to cease writing Sherlock Holmes adventures set the tone for an absorbing evening’s theatre. The action moved seamlessly between the material and spiritualist world of Arthur Conan Doyle, and the imaginary world of the Canon.

The varied characters of both these realms, most notably Moriarty, were dramatically brought to life by Roger Llewellyn. In a split second black out he would expertly change his voice, demeanour, gait, mood and tempo to bring yet another character vividly on stage as the previous one vanished.

The plot moved from Arthur Conan Doyle and his changing relationships with his contemporaries to Baker Street and Holmes, Watson, Mrs Hudson, Inspector Lestrade and his arch enemy Professor Moriarty. The interdependence of Doyle and Holmes was also explored. The Holmes Moriarty conflict assumed philosophical dimensions when Holmes was forced to consider his own existence. The boundaries of the material and the imaginary world indeed had become blurred. In the end, as the title of the play suggests, Holmes simply would not die and he continues to hold a fascination and possess a sense of reality unlike any other character in literary history.

The masterful performance by Roger Llewellyn did full justice to the inspired script written by David Stuart Davis this in turn was enhanced by the excellent direction of Gareth Armstrong. The lighting, sound and incidental music all contributed fully to achieving an excellent overall effect. Indeed the acting, writing and direction seem to compliment each so perfectly. It was hard to believe I was watching the first ever public performance.

I did ask myself how this play, however well performed, would resonate with those who are not Holmes and Doyle cognoscenti, who will undoubtedly make up the majority of the audiences as this play begins its tour national and internationally. I listened to the reactions of the gentleman sitting next to me and surreptitiously glanced across to gauge the facial expressions of the audience. It confirmed they were what used to be called in my amateur dramatics days, “a listening audience”. They were in rapt attention and responding to each nuance of the script, no rustling or fidgeting could be heard.

Speaking to various audience members after the show I realised that they did not need deep knowledge of the Canon of the life of Arthur Conan Doyle to have been fully engaged by this intriguing piece of theatre. For the Holmes connoisseur this is a vintage play about the Master.

Robert Graham

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