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Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's The Sherlock Holmes Theatre
Blackstone Audiobooks is pleased to present the first audio recordings ever of the only two Holmes plays written by his creator, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. These new, specially commissioned productions of the Hollywood Theater of the Ear star Audie Award-winning readers Martin Jarvis as Sherlock Holmes and Kristoffer Tabori as Dr. Watson.
In Sherlock Holmes, The Napoleon of Crime, Professor Moriarity plots with would-be blackmailers to have Holmes killed. And the normally love-proof Holmes falls for an exceptional woman. The play was co-authored by the American matinee idol William Gillette, who played the title sleuth. A smash hit from the beginning, the play remained in Gillette s repertoire until he retired more than thirty years after its premiere.
What is the secret of the shocking death of poor Enid s sister? What did she mean by her dying words, "the speckled band?" What danger does Enid face from the brutal Dr. Rylott? Only Holmes can scope out the answer and save the helpless girl from certain death. Sir Arthur adapted The Speckled Band (1910) from his own short story of that name. A stage success on three continents, the play hasn t received a professional revival for eighty-four years.
When Holmes turned fifty, he retired and became a beekeeper, creating a crisis for his friend Watson, whose income derived from the Holmes stories he contributes to the Strand magazine. Further, the Doctor owes money to mobsters who want either their cash or his blood. The surprising upshot is, as the headlines proclaim, a Ghastly Double Murder in Famed Detective s Flat, a one-act comedy by producer-director Yuri Rasovsky, here receiving its audiobook premiere.
A unique, must-have audio for all Sherlockians.
In Sherlock Holmes, The Napoleon of Crime, Professor Moriarity plots with would-be blackmailers to have Holmes killed. And the normally love-proof Holmes falls for an exceptional woman. The play was co-authored by the American matinee idol William Gillette, who played the title sleuth. A smash hit from the beginning, the play remained in Gillette s repertoire until he retired more than thirty years after its premiere.
What is the secret of the shocking death of poor Enid s sister? What did she mean by her dying words, "the speckled band?" What danger does Enid face from the brutal Dr. Rylott? Only Holmes can scope out the answer and save the helpless girl from certain death. Sir Arthur adapted The Speckled Band (1910) from his own short story of that name. A stage success on three continents, the play hasn t received a professional revival for eighty-four years.
When Holmes turned fifty, he retired and became a beekeeper, creating a crisis for his friend Watson, whose income derived from the Holmes stories he contributes to the Strand magazine. Further, the Doctor owes money to mobsters who want either their cash or his blood. The surprising upshot is, as the headlines proclaim, a Ghastly Double Murder in Famed Detective s Flat, a one-act comedy by producer-director Yuri Rasovsky, here receiving its audiobook premiere.
A unique, must-have audio for all Sherlockians.
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First published February 1, 2005
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews
July 18, 2023
THREE PLAYS
I give 4 stars for the first two plays written by Sir Arthur. The third play is not written by him but is a satire about Holmes, Mrs. Hudson, Dr. Watson and his wife. Rather silly. I didn’t care for it. (And the profanity certainly seemed out of place for Holmes and Watson.) But the first two plays were magnificent with the excellent acting, superb voices and the oh so wicked devilry that Holmes was called upon to bring to an end. An enjoyable few hours listen.
I give 4 stars for the first two plays written by Sir Arthur. The third play is not written by him but is a satire about Holmes, Mrs. Hudson, Dr. Watson and his wife. Rather silly. I didn’t care for it. (And the profanity certainly seemed out of place for Holmes and Watson.) But the first two plays were magnificent with the excellent acting, superb voices and the oh so wicked devilry that Holmes was called upon to bring to an end. An enjoyable few hours listen.
June 9, 2019
Summary: One star for the first and second, 5 stars for the 3rd. Ignore those other reviewers if you are a true Sherlockian.
As a child, I lived near the home of the author of the first play, William Gillette. It was a castle, built of stone, overlooking the Connecticut River, with a two-car ferry that brought visitors then, and still does today. It had its own 3 mile railroad, smaller than real, but bigger than a child's model, which carried his guests around the estate and its gardens. I rode on it after it was sold to Lake Compounce Park.
When he died, the state purchased the castle and grounds, and it is now open to the public in the summer months as a park. The whole story about it is fascinating and hilarious, with a photo, on Wikipedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gillett...
The only reason I mention all this is that he made his pile of money for this pile of rocks playing Sherlock Holmes on the stage, acting in this play, more than 1,200 times in over 30 years. I've often wondered what it would have been like to see him.
This is the next best thing: to listen to the play in production. I was excited. I anticipated something like Hal Holbrook's brilliant portrayal of Mark Twain that made his fortune.
Uh, no.
Overall, I found the play tedious, pompous, and self-agrandizing. It puffed up the actor's part, and denigrated the women, and Holmes falls in love at the end. There were too many imprecise words and plot-lines. In other words, he Americanized Holmes. Ugh. And ACD loved it, because all he did was rake in the royalties, and never had to see it. He thoroughly hated Holmes by then. See Wikipedia on that, too.
The second play was worse. The Speckled Band is so very well known, and the addition of a scene with a new butler, and the incontinuity about the bars on the windows of the bedroom was just shabby writing. Bah! I don't care that ACD wrote it. I didn't like it. He ruined the story. And the performance was over the top.
The third play skewers all of that, and more. This is a hilarious little farce, poking fun at every convention held dear if one takes Holmes seriously. I'm a huge fan, and often thought that I'd push Sherlock Holmes out. There were no landlord/tenant laws then. He'd have been in the streets if she'd have had a backbone. And Watson was always being downtrodden, denigrated, and loving it. And Holmes was God, every time. The perfect lampoon.
Anyone who doesn't see the humor in the third play (one reviewer moans that it's 'kind of a satire' and that's its problem) needs a transplant of a funny bone, or a more thorough critical reading of the canon.
No sense of humor, those blokes.
As a child, I lived near the home of the author of the first play, William Gillette. It was a castle, built of stone, overlooking the Connecticut River, with a two-car ferry that brought visitors then, and still does today. It had its own 3 mile railroad, smaller than real, but bigger than a child's model, which carried his guests around the estate and its gardens. I rode on it after it was sold to Lake Compounce Park.
When he died, the state purchased the castle and grounds, and it is now open to the public in the summer months as a park. The whole story about it is fascinating and hilarious, with a photo, on Wikipedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gillett...
The only reason I mention all this is that he made his pile of money for this pile of rocks playing Sherlock Holmes on the stage, acting in this play, more than 1,200 times in over 30 years. I've often wondered what it would have been like to see him.
This is the next best thing: to listen to the play in production. I was excited. I anticipated something like Hal Holbrook's brilliant portrayal of Mark Twain that made his fortune.
Uh, no.
Overall, I found the play tedious, pompous, and self-agrandizing. It puffed up the actor's part, and denigrated the women, and Holmes falls in love at the end. There were too many imprecise words and plot-lines. In other words, he Americanized Holmes. Ugh. And ACD loved it, because all he did was rake in the royalties, and never had to see it. He thoroughly hated Holmes by then. See Wikipedia on that, too.
The second play was worse. The Speckled Band is so very well known, and the addition of a scene with a new butler, and the incontinuity about the bars on the windows of the bedroom was just shabby writing. Bah! I don't care that ACD wrote it. I didn't like it. He ruined the story. And the performance was over the top.
The third play skewers all of that, and more. This is a hilarious little farce, poking fun at every convention held dear if one takes Holmes seriously. I'm a huge fan, and often thought that I'd push Sherlock Holmes out. There were no landlord/tenant laws then. He'd have been in the streets if she'd have had a backbone. And Watson was always being downtrodden, denigrated, and loving it. And Holmes was God, every time. The perfect lampoon.
Anyone who doesn't see the humor in the third play (one reviewer moans that it's 'kind of a satire' and that's its problem) needs a transplant of a funny bone, or a more thorough critical reading of the canon.
No sense of humor, those blokes.
May 24, 2016
I really enjoy Sherlock Holmes. I've listened to many old radio shows of these stories from the early 1900s. This one was a treat because it was a modern day performance of the stories so it was higher quality, easy to hear everything, etc.
I love Holmes' dry humor and unstoppable "deductions". He and Watson are the perfect pair...
This particular audiobook had 2 main stories, both were great. I was surprised and happy to find I'd never heard either before. And there was a short story at the end which was ok but not as good as 1 & 2.
I love Holmes' dry humor and unstoppable "deductions". He and Watson are the perfect pair...
This particular audiobook had 2 main stories, both were great. I was surprised and happy to find I'd never heard either before. And there was a short story at the end which was ok but not as good as 1 & 2.
November 13, 2009
I really enjoyed the two plays by Conan Doyle...the third by Yuri Rasovsky was awful.
July 13, 2010
audio book--exciting tales. Only knew one of the three.
August 15, 2021
The first two stories are very well translated to audio. The performers are fantastic and the stories are quite fun to listen to unfold, even if you're already familiar with the endings.
The final one is complete nonsense. Watson and Mrs. Hudson try to frame Holmes by killing each other??? Just skip it. It's short and mean-spirited as if written by someone who hates these characters. Like, not only is there no mystery to solve... It's just characters we love acting out of character and hurting each other. And it ends with Sherlock making kissy noises down the phone line... Ugh.
Overall ratings: 3/5
Story 1: 4/5
Story 2: 3/5
Story 3: 0/5
The final one is complete nonsense. Watson and Mrs. Hudson try to frame Holmes by killing each other??? Just skip it. It's short and mean-spirited as if written by someone who hates these characters. Like, not only is there no mystery to solve... It's just characters we love acting out of character and hurting each other. And it ends with Sherlock making kissy noises down the phone line... Ugh.
Overall ratings: 3/5
Story 1: 4/5
Story 2: 3/5
Story 3: 0/5
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 27, 2022
Not a bad book to listen to. The ending seemed out of place and I wasn't a fan of it but the first two stories were very good. They are typical Sherlock Holmes stories and the number of actors that voice their parts in the books are a very nice touch. The music is great and it really gives the audio book a little something extra.
April 24, 2023
I thought all three of these plays were atrocious. The first was dull and threw in a melodramatic love story for no reason. The second managed to destroy one of the best Holmes short stories ever written (and it was written by ACD) by adding characters and plot details that bogged down the rest. And the last was a satire that just seemed absurd and crude rather than humorous to me.
September 22, 2018
Beautifully done audiobook. I'd read a few of these stories before, but the last one is a doozy and I'd never heard of it. The characters are so well done and the actors were perfect! Nice light listen.
May 10, 2023
Wonderful! These three plays will not disappoint if you love a good mystery….,
a genius detective with a drug addiction ( and probably a more serious case of Asperger’s ), and a doctor who has his own war wounds to deal with, all bound together with a dry, sarcastic wit.
a genius detective with a drug addiction ( and probably a more serious case of Asperger’s ), and a doctor who has his own war wounds to deal with, all bound together with a dry, sarcastic wit.
November 22, 2017
First two plays were good...third was a definite nope. More like satire.
May 15, 2020
A fun play version/reading of some Sherlock Holmes stories, including a clever and amusing addition to the canon. This is another book I grabbed because I love Martin Jarvis' reading.
October 21, 2021
Overdrive Audiobook Library 📚: I wish i could see these theatre productions on stage.
December 9, 2021
Listened to it on audio book. Didn't love it.
May 28, 2023
The two stories written by Arthur Conan Doyle were excellent. The one written by another author was nearly unrecognizable as being about Sherlock Holmes. At least the names remained the same.
February 20, 2024
The first 2 stories in this collection were quite good, but the last one was very weak. Oh well, it was something different!
April 11, 2024
I enjoyed the first two plays very much
March 27, 2012
The Sherlock Holmes Theatre is a perfect audio experience. A full production of actors takes on and interprets the only two plays Sir Arthur Conan Doyle wrote about Sherlock Holmes, The Napoleon of Crime and The Speckled Band. Also included as a bonus is a new one-act comedy play, Ghastly Double Murder in Famed Detective’s Flat.
The Napoleon of Crime and The Speckled Band are typical entertaining Sherlock Holmes mysteries. In The Napoleon of Crime, Holmes and Watson find themselves immersed in an international conspiracy against Holmes arch-rival Professor Moriarty. A young woman has letters that could implicate the British heir in a major scandal right before his marriage. In order to take these letters from her and earn a tidy profit, a couple kidnaps her and holds her captive. Sherlock Holmes is soon on the scene to help her out and uncovers the mystery while also discovering admiration for the lady. Complicating matters, Professor Moriarty arrives in the picture and is bent on the final destruction of Holmes.
In The Speckled Band, Watson steps in to help a family that he knew back in his days serving in India. Two daughters returned with their mother and step-father to England. After their mother’s death, the eldest daughter dies under mysterious circumstances after uttering a mysterious phrase about a “speckled band.” Two years later, the younger daughter has just gotten engaged and is starting to hear the same strange music that her sister had heard and her stepfather has moved her to the same bedroom. Fearing for her life, she asks for assistance from family friend Dr. Watson and his good friend Sherlock Holmes. Will Holmes be able to solve the mystery and save a life?
The play version of The Speckled Band was based on an earlier short story by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Facing financial difficulties, Doyle adapted his favorite Holmes story into a play changing names and some situations. The play was a smashing success in both London and in America solving the financial problems. It sounds like the villain (the step-father Dr. Grimesby Rylott played by Lyn Harding) was quite the character and something to behold. I would have loved to have seen the production.
The new one-act comedy play by Yuri Rasovsky, Ghastly Double Murder in Famed Detective’s Flat, made me laugh out loud several times. Obviously not a Conan Doyle original, in this parody, Holmes and Watson tell each other what they really think of each other. I really enjoyed the humor in this piece.
I enjoyed listening to all of these Holmes stories. I really love listening to audiobooks with a full cast of voice actors for all of the parts. It really enhances the experience for me. I thought this audiobook was brilliant.
Overall, if you are looking for a great mystery and a comedy, The Sherlock Holmes Theatre is an excellent audiobook.
This review was first published on my blog at:
http://lauragerold.blogspot.com/2012/...
The Napoleon of Crime and The Speckled Band are typical entertaining Sherlock Holmes mysteries. In The Napoleon of Crime, Holmes and Watson find themselves immersed in an international conspiracy against Holmes arch-rival Professor Moriarty. A young woman has letters that could implicate the British heir in a major scandal right before his marriage. In order to take these letters from her and earn a tidy profit, a couple kidnaps her and holds her captive. Sherlock Holmes is soon on the scene to help her out and uncovers the mystery while also discovering admiration for the lady. Complicating matters, Professor Moriarty arrives in the picture and is bent on the final destruction of Holmes.
In The Speckled Band, Watson steps in to help a family that he knew back in his days serving in India. Two daughters returned with their mother and step-father to England. After their mother’s death, the eldest daughter dies under mysterious circumstances after uttering a mysterious phrase about a “speckled band.” Two years later, the younger daughter has just gotten engaged and is starting to hear the same strange music that her sister had heard and her stepfather has moved her to the same bedroom. Fearing for her life, she asks for assistance from family friend Dr. Watson and his good friend Sherlock Holmes. Will Holmes be able to solve the mystery and save a life?
The play version of The Speckled Band was based on an earlier short story by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Facing financial difficulties, Doyle adapted his favorite Holmes story into a play changing names and some situations. The play was a smashing success in both London and in America solving the financial problems. It sounds like the villain (the step-father Dr. Grimesby Rylott played by Lyn Harding) was quite the character and something to behold. I would have loved to have seen the production.
The new one-act comedy play by Yuri Rasovsky, Ghastly Double Murder in Famed Detective’s Flat, made me laugh out loud several times. Obviously not a Conan Doyle original, in this parody, Holmes and Watson tell each other what they really think of each other. I really enjoyed the humor in this piece.
I enjoyed listening to all of these Holmes stories. I really love listening to audiobooks with a full cast of voice actors for all of the parts. It really enhances the experience for me. I thought this audiobook was brilliant.
Overall, if you are looking for a great mystery and a comedy, The Sherlock Holmes Theatre is an excellent audiobook.
This review was first published on my blog at:
http://lauragerold.blogspot.com/2012/...
June 3, 2013
Sherlock Holmes Theater is a lot of fun to listen to. The first two plays are actually written by the creator of Holmes, AC Doyle. This alone makes this series of plays unique.
The first story, “Sherlock Holmes” is about a plot that Moriarity hatches to get Holmes out of the way. Although several plot elements and large chunks of dialog are recycled from other Holmes stories, it has some new elements and is rather enjoyable. One of the unique elements is that Holmes has a love interest in this story.
The second story, The Speckled Band”, is a stage adaptation of one of the classic Holmes stories. The basic elements of the original story are still here. But, they have been changed a bit. In this version, the device of the coroner’s inquest is used to provide much of the information that we receive about the murder of the first sister. Also, Watson is an old family friend in this version. Holmes enters the action a bit later than in the original story. But, the basic plot elements are still true to the original story.
The third story, “Ghastly Double Murder in Famed Detective’s Flat”, is a comedic take on the Sherlock Holmes universe. Watson is a degenerate gambler desperate for money. He really can’t stand Holmes and only associates with him so that he can write stories to gain money to feed his gambling habit. Holmes threatens to retire and this spurs Watson to action. This play pokes fun at a lot of the elements of the Holmes stories.
The first story, “Sherlock Holmes” is about a plot that Moriarity hatches to get Holmes out of the way. Although several plot elements and large chunks of dialog are recycled from other Holmes stories, it has some new elements and is rather enjoyable. One of the unique elements is that Holmes has a love interest in this story.
The second story, The Speckled Band”, is a stage adaptation of one of the classic Holmes stories. The basic elements of the original story are still here. But, they have been changed a bit. In this version, the device of the coroner’s inquest is used to provide much of the information that we receive about the murder of the first sister. Also, Watson is an old family friend in this version. Holmes enters the action a bit later than in the original story. But, the basic plot elements are still true to the original story.
The third story, “Ghastly Double Murder in Famed Detective’s Flat”, is a comedic take on the Sherlock Holmes universe. Watson is a degenerate gambler desperate for money. He really can’t stand Holmes and only associates with him so that he can write stories to gain money to feed his gambling habit. Holmes threatens to retire and this spurs Watson to action. This play pokes fun at a lot of the elements of the Holmes stories.
August 4, 2014
What to say... I liked the first and third play very much and the second not so much. The first one was kind of what I expected to hear and was very happy with the pace and story. There were so many lines from previous Sherlock Holmes stories and each time one came up it made me grin from ear to ear. The voices of the characters were all wonderfully done - all British accents and well played.
The second play, all based on the story of the Speckled Band, with an introduction in the form of an inquest into the death of the first sister's death. It seemed very hurried and the voices almost all of the same that it was hard to tell who was talking. Not until the second sister came to visit Holmes did the pace and character's voices really slow down and become more enjoyable.
The third story was a complete surprise. It was very funny and a totally unexpected ending. There was a lot of catching up between Holmes and Watson and much bantering back and forth between the characters. The jist was that Holmes was going to be fifty and he told Watson he was going to retire. He did not want any more stories written and Watson was lamenting his loss of income from his sale of Holmes' stories. I did not care for the Mrs. Hudson character of the story. She was a little too Irish for me with a heavy accent.
I would listen to the first again, and did listen to the third twice. I am happy I found this audio play and will look for more.
The second play, all based on the story of the Speckled Band, with an introduction in the form of an inquest into the death of the first sister's death. It seemed very hurried and the voices almost all of the same that it was hard to tell who was talking. Not until the second sister came to visit Holmes did the pace and character's voices really slow down and become more enjoyable.
The third story was a complete surprise. It was very funny and a totally unexpected ending. There was a lot of catching up between Holmes and Watson and much bantering back and forth between the characters. The jist was that Holmes was going to be fifty and he told Watson he was going to retire. He did not want any more stories written and Watson was lamenting his loss of income from his sale of Holmes' stories. I did not care for the Mrs. Hudson character of the story. She was a little too Irish for me with a heavy accent.
I would listen to the first again, and did listen to the third twice. I am happy I found this audio play and will look for more.
March 2, 2010
This book, a collection of three plays on CD, was a lot of fun to experience. I had never before experienced the Sherlock Holmes stories, besides a far removed knowledge of their existence. The first two plays were very enjoyable, quick-witted, splendidly-performed, and even humorously written tales of danger, malice, and greed, in which only the famed Sherlock Holmes can save the day. The acting is superb and warrants only the most ardent praise. The final story was not as good as the other two. It seemed more of a farce of other stories in the Sir. Arthur Conan Doyle collection and, although humorous, ends in an unsettling fashion. It seems uncharacteristic of the others and makes me wonder if this was Conan Doyle's last Sherlock Holmes play.
I recommend this collection to those who love mysteries. The acting is as good as can be expected, especially the talents of the actor playing Holmes, and the stories provide a grand way in which to pass the time.
I recommend this collection to those who love mysteries. The acting is as good as can be expected, especially the talents of the actor playing Holmes, and the stories provide a grand way in which to pass the time.
June 27, 2013
The scorecard:
SHERLOCK HOLMES by William Gillette, fun play, fantastic production.
THE SPECKLED BAND by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, bad play, fantastic production.
GHASTLY DOUBLE MURDER IN FAMED DETECTIVE'S FLAT (mistitled on the box, which leaves out the word "DOUBLE") by Yuri Rasovsky, a disaster of a play, so bad that the quality of the production does not matter.
The stars are for the quality of the first plays, how rare it is to hear them produced, and the quality of the productions. The Rasovsky interlude cost this collection a star. Honestly, it reduces this to a three star product, but it seems wrong to penalize what is so right about the first two simply because the director inflicted his own lousy play on the public.
SHERLOCK HOLMES by William Gillette, fun play, fantastic production.
THE SPECKLED BAND by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, bad play, fantastic production.
GHASTLY DOUBLE MURDER IN FAMED DETECTIVE'S FLAT (mistitled on the box, which leaves out the word "DOUBLE") by Yuri Rasovsky, a disaster of a play, so bad that the quality of the production does not matter.
The stars are for the quality of the first plays, how rare it is to hear them produced, and the quality of the productions. The Rasovsky interlude cost this collection a star. Honestly, it reduces this to a three star product, but it seems wrong to penalize what is so right about the first two simply because the director inflicted his own lousy play on the public.
October 23, 2015
This book has 3 plays. I give the first 2 - both written by Conan Doyle, although with the help of Gillette - a 4 for pure enjoyment, especially since I experienced them on audio which is the way they were meant to be since they are radio plays. The first one does have an unfortunate bit at the end where they try to have Sherlock fall in love - so out of character. Other than that, they are very fun to listen to.
The last was written by someone else and the only good thing I can say about it is that it's short. It's described as a comedy, but it's just pathetically mean. The idea is that contrary to the way Conan Doyle consistently wrote them, the characters of Holmes, Watson, and Mrs. Hudson are spiteful, greedy, and murderous.
The last was written by someone else and the only good thing I can say about it is that it's short. It's described as a comedy, but it's just pathetically mean. The idea is that contrary to the way Conan Doyle consistently wrote them, the characters of Holmes, Watson, and Mrs. Hudson are spiteful, greedy, and murderous.
February 21, 2016
This was the worst thing I have read or listened to in my memory. First, I will say there is a clear reason, in my mind, why Conan Doyle wrote no other plays. I love the books. These are horrid. And the final one, by Yuri, is deplorable.
If you are no fan of Sherlock Holmes, you will find the stories boorish and hard to bear. If you are a fan of the Sherlock Holmes we know from Conan Doyle books, you should find these stories insulting.
If I had a way to take away stars from other reviews, I would. Give this book a wide berth. Or buy a copy so you can burn it and keep it out of someone else's library.
If you are no fan of Sherlock Holmes, you will find the stories boorish and hard to bear. If you are a fan of the Sherlock Holmes we know from Conan Doyle books, you should find these stories insulting.
If I had a way to take away stars from other reviews, I would. Give this book a wide berth. Or buy a copy so you can burn it and keep it out of someone else's library.
January 22, 2010
It was interesting to see a slightly different presentation of the Holmes stories I am used to watching with Jeremy Brett. I will definitely have to read all of Doyle s stories again (so long ago I don't remember any of them I read). The last play in this collection really sucked. It wasn't written by Doyle, and the characterization of Doyle's characters were very irritating. That play sucked. But I enjoyed Doyle's plays. I would have really enjoyed seeing a recording of Brett as Holmes in these plays, but, alas, he has passed.
October 9, 2014
Not as good as I was thinking. The best of the three stories was the first, where one of Doyle's contemporaries adapted his earlier work into a stage production. Doyle's own attempt worked, but he didn't quite seem to have the dramatic sense for the unfamiliar medium. The new Holmes story for this collection just didn't work for me. The attempts at modernization and meta-humor flopped.
January 12, 2016
My daughter and I started listening to these plays on our way to the Sherlock Holmes exhibit at the Denver Museum of Nature & Science. I finished them today. The first two plays were classic Holmes. The last one was kind of a spoof. It felt a bit sacrilegious to believe that Watson and Mrs. Hudson have always hated Holmes, as the play suggests, but the twist at the end favored Holmes after all!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 8, 2012
Purists may find fault with these dramatic renditions, but for fans of Sherlock Holmes who can never get enough, this Blackstone audio book is pure entertainment. Well acted with background music and sound effects, these plays adapted for audio are a must-hear.
September 4, 2012
...or rather, I listened to this audio book. I didn't realize that 'The Speckled Band' was created as a play, or that Conan Doyle wrote a play with another author. Very entertaining and recommended for Sherlock Holmes fans.
April 4, 2014
The Sherlock Holmes Theater was great fun to listen to. The two plays were written by Doyle and the players did a great job. The only play that didn't really do much for me was the short play done by Rasovsky.
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