? Holmes and Watson Save the Empire by Jahnna Beecham and Malcolm Hillgartner, a First Impressions Theatre production at Deep Cove Shaw Theatre to March 16. Box office: 604-929-9456.
SOMETIMES theatre strives simply to entertain.
Case in point: Holmes and Watson Save the Empire. If you like silly, inoffensive fun, this tongue-in-cheek romp will leave you cheering.
Unlike the Sherlocks recently created for television by Benedict Cumberbatch or Jonny Lee Miller, there is no self-tormenting genius abhoring the dull routine of existence here.
This is inflated-style comedy. Think Bullshot Crummond or Patrick Barlow's adaptation of The 39 Steps that the Arts Club presented in 2010. It's difficult to get right and sustain. Essentially, the intent is to achieve affectionate parody without going too far into the realm of melodrama.
Damon Calderwood as Holmes and Gordon Roberts as Watson hit all the right notes in terms of style and most of the musical ones too (da-dum). OK, that was undeserved, but it does introduce the fact that the show is a self-styled musical. Calderwood and Roberts should be well-remembered in the Cove for their excellent performances in Billy Bishop Goes to War some four years ago. They are still in fine voice, but this material is just not as strong. The show
opens with scenes at "The Gaiety Music Hall" and the songs in Holmes and Watson are mostly examples of the simple ditty style popular in that form of entertainment. Think "revue" rather than "musical" and your expectations won't be dashed. Still, it's nice to sit in an intimate theatre and listen to good un-miked singers with an effective accompaniment of violin (Renée Bulat) and piano (Chris Robson).
The show's U.S. creators, Jahnna Beecham and Malcolm Hillgartner, came to North Vancouver to direct their show. I am told they grafted a new beginning onto its original incarnation - and that's a huge step in the right direction. We get to see Holmes in action, some music-hall patter and a big reveal all within the first 10 minutes. Fun stuff, but then Holmes and Watson retire to 221B Baker Street and nothing much happens for an hour as Holmes meanders down one theory after another. After endless exposition, it's hard to care whether Queen Victoria has a secret or not.
If only creators Beecham and Hillgartner could crank up the script's action to the level of the beginning and their farcical ending, they would have something special. As it is, their middle is static and much of it redundant.
Perhaps the actors used to play Freddy Fish and Lightfoot McTague (Robson and Kelly C. Avery) could play more characters, or Holmes and Watson could get even more "masters of disguise" costume changes. Failing that, get out the scissors! The writers also need to decide whether to commit to the comedy or deepen Holmes' characterization. The song "One True Friend" that Holmes sings to Watson believing him to be dead could be hilarious or affecting. Right now, it's neither.
Read up on your Holmes. There are props from the novels on the set and prizes if you can spot them. A fun idea - like this show.
