The Game's Afoot

It is December 1936, and Broadway legend William Gillette—idolised across America for embodying Sherlock Holmes on stage over 1,300 times—has summoned his fellow thespians to his Connecticut castle for a weekend of glamour, gossip and good old theatrical indulgence. But when one of the guests ends up murdered, the festivities in this isolated mansion of secret passages and theatrical trickery take a decidedly deadly turn. Gillette, never one to resist a dramatic flourish, slips into his Holmesian alter‑ego to sniff out the culprit before another body appears… unless an exuberantly eccentric police inspector beats him to the punch.

The play opens as a play within a play. As the curtain falls, a gunshot cracks from the auditorium—Gillette himself is hit.

The “real” story begins as William Gillette (Callum Ilkiw‑Jenkins) appears onstage, arm in a sling, nursing a minor wound and a major mystery. Callum commands the stage with the swagger of a man who knows he’s rich, famous, and indispensable—and who expects his assembled “friends” to remember exactly who pays their bills.

Martha Gillette (Dee Hale), William’s doting yet delightfully dotty mother, fusses over him with unwavering devotion. Dee’s performance was warm, funny and quietly touching; the audience was sympathetic for this overlooked matriarch who everyone liked but few truly noticed.

Aggie Wheeler (Laura Ilkiw‑Jenkins) floated through scenes with a seemingly meek, wallflower charm—until her secrets began to surface. Laura played the role with subtlety, balancing quiet loyalty to Simon with hidden longing for William.

Felix Geisel (Craig Jones), William’s long‑time friend and fellow actor, oozed confidence and self‑assurance. Craig’s performance had that effortless “old pro” quality that made Felix instantly believable.

Daria Chase (Lilita Viksne) was a standout—an exquisitely vampish, venomous theatre critic adored to her face and despised behind her back. Lilita’s comic timing was razor‑sharp, delivering barbed lines with a waspish elegance.

Madge Geisel (Sarah Dillon), Felix’s effervescent wife, brought a bubbly optimism to every scene. Sarah’s chemistry with Craig was charming, and her attempts to lighten even the darkest moments were genuinely endearing.

Simon Bright (Tyler Marshall) played Aggie’s affable but dim‑witted partner with gusto. Though his American accent occasionally drifted into “faux Italian” Tyler still delivered a solid and entertaining performance.

Inspector Goring (Sarah Laing) burst into Act 2 like a caffeinated firework—energetic, flamboyant, and utterly oblivious to the obvious clues. Sarah’s stamina was astonishing; thank goodness she wasn’t in Act 1 or she’d have needed an oxygen tent backstage. A joyous performance.

Director Jack Dawson kept the pace brisk and the characterisations sharp. Alongside Valerie King, he ensured lighting and sound cues landed with precision.

There was good use of the set doubling as a theatre production stage at the beginning and then transforming into William’s living room. The “secret” door was well deployed at the appropriate times, although the “operating switch” did look as if it had a mind of its own at one point. Costumes were of the period although perhaps the ladies could have been a little more colourful. Props were well utilized throughout. 

And as for the murder? Well, I’m not about to spoil the fun. We knew the victim, we knew the method—but the “who done it” and the “why” kept us guessing right to the final moments. This was a thoroughly entertaining evening of mystery, mischief and theatrical flair—one that deserved a far larger audience.

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