Theatre Review - A Sherlock Carol
Ben Kaplan in A Sherlock Carol [Alex Brenner]
It's been three years since Sherlock Holmes’ confrontation with the infamous Professor Moriarty and the detective (Ben Caplan) has lost his appetite for solving crime and mixing with old friends like Dr Watson (Richard James).
Wandering the streets of Victorian London, Holmes meets a grown-up Tim Cratchit (Devesh Kishore), now a doctor at a children’s home, who implores him to investigate the mysterious death of his lifelong benefactor, Ebenezer Scrooge (Kammy Darweish).
Mark Shanahan (who also directs) expertly interweaves the worlds and words of Charles Dickens and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle in this likeable show.
The suspicious death, a threatening letter, a missing will and a blue carbuncle lodged in the gullet of a goose finally intrigue the detective. Scrooge returns in the form of a ghost to warn Holmes of what he looks set to lose if he can’t rouse himself from his depression and solve the mystery.
A superb six-strong cast bring Dickens and Doyle’s characters to life with Rosie Armstrong, Jessica Hern, James and Kishore playing several roles. Anna Louizos’s versatile set is well utilised and Rui Rita provides evocative lighting.
I feared A Sherlock Carol would be rather twee, but it’s hard to fault this delightful mashup of Dickens and Doyle staged around the corner from Holmes’ old stomping ground in Baker Street.
By the end, Holmes regains his good will and the cast remind us of two worthy charities to support this yuletide. Good, clean fun to put you in the festive spirit and it’s great to see another full house at this welcoming theatre.
Until January 7
marylebonetheatre.com/