by Mike Hoban
‘Sherlock’s Last Case’ – Written by Charles Marowitz, Directed by Maria Aitken; Scenic Design, Hugh Landwehr; Costume Design, Fabio Toblini; Lighting Design, Philip S. Rosenberg; Sound Design, Mic Pool. Presented by Huntington Theatre Company at 264 Huntington Avenue, Boston through October 28
There’s nothing elementary about the Huntington’s production of Sherlock’s Last Case, director Maria Aitken’s revival of Charles Marowitz’ 1987 fan fiction piece. This very clever and often laugh-out-loud take on the world’s most famous fictional figure comes up with a surprising premise that is actually quite logical – given the nature of resentments – to anyone even remotely familiar with Sherlock Holmes (Rufus Collins) and his unassuming sidekick, Dr. Watson (Mark Zeisler). As someone who is more familiar with the parodies and reinterpretations of the Sherlock Holmes tales than the original works by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, I may not be the best judge of how well Sherlock’s Last Case measures up to the best of the stories of the “World’s Greatest Detective”, but there are certainly enough plot developments to keep you guessing throughout.
As the play opens in Holmes’ Victorian living room (exquisitely detailed by set designer Hugh Landwehr) at 221B Baker St., it is six years after the death of Moriarty, Holmes nemesis, and the crime-solving pair are rehashing the details of an old case. Playwright Marowitz lovingly lampoons Holmes’ uncanny ability to extract clues from the suspect’s simplest of gestures, much to the seeming admiration and befuddlement of Watson. But he also gives us a glimpse into Holmes’ one-percenter dismissive treatment of Mrs. Hudson (Jane Ridley), his affable landlady/housekeeper, painting a picture of Holmes as an arrogant, condescending ass that doesn’t usually emerge in other treatments.
The intrigue begins to kicks into gear when Holmes receives a letter from Simeon, a man claiming to be the son of Moriarty, who says he will exact revenge for his late father’s death at Holmes hand by killing him. The plot thickens as Holmes is visited by Liza (Antoinette Robinson), Moriarty’s beautiful daughter, who persuades an obviously smitten Holmes to help her dissuade her brother from doing the deed in a fairly flimsy plot device. The encounter leads Holmes and Watson to an abandoned basement where, to our horror, the title of the play may be realized. Suffice to say that to say more would be ruining the surprise.
Marowitz creates a story that has enough twists and turns to pass as a legitimate entry into the detective genre, but it is his skill as a comedy writer that makes Sherlock’s Last Case so entertaining. By shining the light on Holmes’ pomposity, as we see with this gem – “My dear lady, I am touched by your regard for my welfare but as you surely must know, a day without a threat against my life is like ‘un jour sans soleil’ (a day without sun)”. By doing so, he turns the franchise on its head, and allows Watson to express his frustration at being a long-suffering second banana, which works beautifully. There are large doses of absurdity injected into the plot (such as Liza delivering a clue to Holmes via carrier pigeon) and the dialogue is so rapid-fire that it makes one especially grateful for the screens for the hearing-impaired – just to catch up on the jokes.
The production is not without its flaws, however, as Aitken’s pacing lags a bit in places, particularly early on. The performances are generally very good, although Collins’ otherwise solid turn as Holmes was marred by multiple line stumbles during the performance I took in, which took me out of the flow of the piece on more than one occassion. As Watson, Zeisler effectively channels the frustrations of being thought of as a stooge to create a more assured character in place of the habitually good-natured doctor. Robinson brings an appropriate blend of sophisticated charm and sex appeal to the role of Liza, and Ridley is a hoot as Mrs. Hudson. And Malcolm Ingram (whom some may remember from his terrific comic performance in 2016’s Bedroom Farce, also directed by Aitken at the Huntington) steals the show in every scene he’s in as the bumbling Inspector Lestrade of Scotland Yard.
Kudos too, to costume designer Fabio Toblini for the magnificent Victorian threads and Landwehr for his brilliant set design (which transformed Holmes living room into a bleak basement and back again). Sherlock’s Last Case is well worth a trip to the Huntington, and is sure to satisfy both fans of comedy and whodnits. For tix and information, call 617-266-0800 or go to: www.huntingtontheatre.org
