Holmes, Watson and the Spotted Dog ...
When a kind friend offered to take me to a matinee performance of The Sign of Four at the Devonshire Park Theatre, Eastbourne, I accepted eagerly thinking 'Oh, it'll be a bit of fun'. To be honest, I wasn't expecting anything special, and I certainly wasn't expecting to come away with a whole new perspective on the Holmes/Watson relationship! But Blackeyed Theatre's production, adapted from the original by Nick Lane, proved to be quite extraordinary: with just six actors playing multiple parts, the strategic re-arranging of a few simple props and a specially composed background score, they present an intriguing and immersive version of the second Sherlock Holmes story that holds up whether or not one is familiar with the original.
Although Luke Barton doesn't fit Arthur Conan Doyle's original description of Holmes (too blond, too manly), he gives a bravura performance, veering between drug-induced apathy and twitchy, manic focus; and Joseph Derrington's Watson is a delight – handsome, soldierly, kind and intelligent. Stephanie Rutherford is a lively, inquisitive Mary Morstan who's given a bit more to say for herself than Doyle allows her, as well as a rather saucy Mrs Hudson who teases Watson with allusions to a mystery incident that he obviously doesn't want Holmes to know about – 'The Case Of The Spotted Dog'. Ru Hamilton is a brilliantly camp, hypochondriacal Thaddeus Sholto, Zach Lee plays Jonathan Small as a working-class anti-hero, and Christopher Glover manages to win sympathy for poor, bumbling Athelney Jones whilst also playing no less than four Indian gentlemen. All minor characters are shared between the cast, and their versatility doesn't end there: the incidental background score requires anyone not on stage to take up an instrument and play live, and between them they treat us to performances on xylophone, trumpet, guitar, violin, sax, clarinet and flute! It's a gem of a production, and my only criticism would be that the second half is a bit heavy on the explanations and preaching (about the role of the British in India, the attitude of the 'civilised' West towards foreigners, etc – obviously geared to be relevant, but laid on a bit thick for my liking).
However, the main revelation for me was – wait for it – a totally believable relationship between a straight Watson and an asexual, aspergery Holmes! This is something that not only failed to convince me in the original stories with their strong pre-Freudian homosexual subtext, but has continued to evade me in practically every stage and screen depiction of the Holmes/Watson partnership I've seen. Blackeyed Theatre's take on the courtship between Watson and Mary Morstan begins with an obvious spark between them at the initial interview, and continues with hesitant shared moments snatched here and there, an 'accidental' brushing of hands, and finally a shy kiss (in which Mary takes the initiative!) Beautifully done, and Holmes' dry observation and shrugging acceptance of the situation does not, for once, ring hollow. This left me quite gobsmacked as I contemplated the awful possibility that Holmes and Watson might, at a pinch, have been 'just good friends' all along ... fortunately, the impression has proved fleeting ...
Blackeyed Theatre's 'Sherlock Holmes: The Sign Of Four' has been touring the UK since last Autumn, and if you want to catch a performance there's only a month left before they're off to conquer China! But if you can get to one, you won't regret it. Oh, and as for the 'Case Of The Spotted Dog' – don't hold your breath.
Although Luke Barton doesn't fit Arthur Conan Doyle's original description of Holmes (too blond, too manly), he gives a bravura performance, veering between drug-induced apathy and twitchy, manic focus; and Joseph Derrington's Watson is a delight – handsome, soldierly, kind and intelligent. Stephanie Rutherford is a lively, inquisitive Mary Morstan who's given a bit more to say for herself than Doyle allows her, as well as a rather saucy Mrs Hudson who teases Watson with allusions to a mystery incident that he obviously doesn't want Holmes to know about – 'The Case Of The Spotted Dog'. Ru Hamilton is a brilliantly camp, hypochondriacal Thaddeus Sholto, Zach Lee plays Jonathan Small as a working-class anti-hero, and Christopher Glover manages to win sympathy for poor, bumbling Athelney Jones whilst also playing no less than four Indian gentlemen. All minor characters are shared between the cast, and their versatility doesn't end there: the incidental background score requires anyone not on stage to take up an instrument and play live, and between them they treat us to performances on xylophone, trumpet, guitar, violin, sax, clarinet and flute! It's a gem of a production, and my only criticism would be that the second half is a bit heavy on the explanations and preaching (about the role of the British in India, the attitude of the 'civilised' West towards foreigners, etc – obviously geared to be relevant, but laid on a bit thick for my liking).
However, the main revelation for me was – wait for it – a totally believable relationship between a straight Watson and an asexual, aspergery Holmes! This is something that not only failed to convince me in the original stories with their strong pre-Freudian homosexual subtext, but has continued to evade me in practically every stage and screen depiction of the Holmes/Watson partnership I've seen. Blackeyed Theatre's take on the courtship between Watson and Mary Morstan begins with an obvious spark between them at the initial interview, and continues with hesitant shared moments snatched here and there, an 'accidental' brushing of hands, and finally a shy kiss (in which Mary takes the initiative!) Beautifully done, and Holmes' dry observation and shrugging acceptance of the situation does not, for once, ring hollow. This left me quite gobsmacked as I contemplated the awful possibility that Holmes and Watson might, at a pinch, have been 'just good friends' all along ... fortunately, the impression has proved fleeting ...
Blackeyed Theatre's 'Sherlock Holmes: The Sign Of Four' has been touring the UK since last Autumn, and if you want to catch a performance there's only a month left before they're off to conquer China! But if you can get to one, you won't regret it. Oh, and as for the 'Case Of The Spotted Dog' – don't hold your breath.
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