Sherlock Holmes - The Final Problem

Following the success of their award-winning play “The Hound of the Baskervilles” Chorley Amateur Dramatic and Operatic Society (CADOS) have once again brought to the stage  an excellent comedy thriller centred around the character of Sherlock Holmes titled “Sherlock Holmes the Final Problem” which is based on Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s short stories “Scandal in Bohemia” and the “Final Problem”. Set in the modern day the play is written and directed by the very talented Mark Jones who begins his play with an atmospheric introduction to Holmes as he apprehends a corrupt banker (Chris Franic) however the play begins in earnest when we meet Holmes excellently played by Dave Reid a number weeks later in the kitchen of Baker Street where he is skulking and feeling very depressed because he hasn't had a case in 7 weeks and his friend Dr Watson has recently married. In this scene we are treated to some great comic banter between Holmes and the superb Sioghan Edge as his housekeeper Mrs Hudson who reminded me very much of Mrs Brown from Mrs Brown’s Boys, and I have to say her language was just as colourful. This banter is interrupted by the arrival of Holmes’s brother Mycroft played by the very calming and charming David Walker who tries to persuade Holmes to take on a case that only he can be trusted to solve. Mycroft wants Holmes to obtain an incriminating tape from the mysterious and charismatic high class courtesan Irene Adler mysteriously played by Zoe Jones who runs a high class brothel. The cautious Dr Watson (Danny Almond) has now appeared on the scene and is persuaded by Holmes to help him with the case. There was a good rapport between both Holmes and Watson which is very important in this genre and there followed some very enjoyable  comedic moments where Holmes is trying to get to grips with twenty first century technology and social media with the help of Watson, we also find out that Holmes is a Slade fan. Holmes and Watson retrieve the tape with some ease and Holmes begins to suspect that there is more to this investigation than he was first led to believe, it is at this point the thriller element begins to materialise and the action becomes much edgier. Holmes and Watson are now helped in their investigations by Elena (Sara Norse) one of Miss Adler's employees who has a penchant for accents and Kath Townsend as a laudable inspector Lestrade. The investigation reaches its climax when homes meets his nemesis and criminal mastermind Professor Moriarty menacingly played by Ashley Hambrook and the inevitable end to their association is realised. The play ends with a very well-played final scene with Danny (Dr Watson) giving it just the right level of drama and emotion. The action and the pace of this production was just right, comic timing, diction and clarity of words were superb, and all the actors worked together playing there parts very well and producing some good interesting characterisations,

The set once again was innovative and of a high standard, the stage area was used to maximum efficiency and the atmosphere and pace of the play was enhanced by some excellent technical wizardry which included film, music and atmospheric lighting. I must mention all the backstage crew as this production relied very much on the efficiency of these people.

I must congratulate director and author Mark Jones, Producer Rebecca Dickinson and everyone involved in this excellent piece of theatre we really enjoyed our evening's entertainment.

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