Sherlockian Sojourns 18: "Mycroft’s Rails"

“Mycroft has his rails and he runs on them. His Pall Mall lodgings, the Diogenes Club, Whitehall—that is his cycle” - Sherlock Holmes [BRUC]

As part of their ‘London Weekend 2019’, the Sherlock Holmes Society of London were proposing to retrace the steps of Holmes Senior, from his lodgings in Pall Mall to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) on King Charles Street, where on occasions he “was the British Government” [BRUC]. Places were limited, but I managed to get one. The meeting point was at 2pm sharp at Waterloo Place, St. James’s, just next to the Duke of York column situated just above the steps down to The Mall (which Sherlock and Mary rode down on a motorcycle in ‘The Empty Hearse’). Having a few minutes to spare, I managed to wander down Pall Mall to take photos of the former sites of the Baldwin Club (one of the Card Clubs frequented by the Honourable Ronald Adair in ‘The Empty House’) and the Junior Carlton Club (believed by Dr Seth Alexander Thévoz, author of ‘Club Government’, to be the Diogenes Club). I also passed the former site of ‘Cox & Co’ which held Watson’s battered dispatch box containing details of unrecorded cases, as outlined in ‘The Problem of Thor Bridge’.

 

 

Returning to the column , which is situated next to the building that acts as the Diogenes Club in ‘Sherlock’, I joined a small group, with five minutes to spare.

Following a brief introduction by the organiser of the walk, Marcus Geisser, BSI, we strode off down the stairs, past St. James’ Park and Horse Guards Parade (where preparations were being made for a ‘Trooping The Colour’ dress rehearsal, the next day. After around ten minutes, we reached the FCO, taking the likely route that Mycroft would have done on a daily basis. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office occupies a building which originally provided premises for four separate government departments: the Foreign Office, the India Office, the Colonial Office, and the Home Office. Construction on the building began in 1861 and finished in 1868, and it was designed by the architect George Gilbert Scott. Its architecture is in the Italianate style; Scott had initially envisaged a Gothic design, but Lord Palmerston, then Prime Minister, insisted on a classical style.

Here a one hour’s private tour of the building had been arranged for our group. Photography was prohibited in some areas of the building on security grounds, but I was able to take photos of several meeting rooms which may have been frequented by Mycroft, and a ministerial room which he may also have known. We also got to look out onto Downing Street and Numbers 10 & 11. The guide was very enthusiastic, and we ended up spending an hour-and-a-half wandering the FCO corridors.

We then retraced our steps at speed to the Athenaeum Club, situated at 107 Pall Mall, one of the prime candidates for The Diogenes Club.

"There are many men in London, you know, who, some from shyness, some from misanthropy, have no wish for the company of their fellows. Yet they are not averse to comfortable chairs and the latest periodicals. It is for the convenience of these that the Diogenes Club was started, and it now contains the most unsociable and unclubable men in town” – Sherlock Holmes [GREE]

Having gained entry through one of our party who is a member, we moved to the basement where an exhibition had been created for us by the Club Archivist, relating to Watson’s Literary Agent, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s membership of this prestigious club, including his signature in the register and details of dinners that he was present at, one also including Norman Hapgood, the editor of ‘Collier’s Weekly’ in which Holmes was resurrected soon after the dinner.

The afternoon was concluded with tea and biscuits, and a visit to the Drawing Room, one of the few areas of the Club where non-members are allowed.

THEATRE REVIEW – ‘Waitress’ (Adelphi Theatre)

THEATRE  REVIEW – ‘Waitress’ (Adelphi Theatre)

Jenna Hunterson is a waitress and expert pie-maker who dreams of a way out of her small town and rocky marriage. Pouring her heart into her pies, she crafts desserts that mirror her topsy-turvy life such as “The Key (Lime) to Happiness Pie” and “Betrayed By My Eggs Pie”. When a baking contest in a nearby county — and a satisfying run-in with someone new — show Jenna a chance at a fresh start, she must find the courage to seize it. Change is on the menu, as long as Jenna can write her own perfectly personal recipe for happiness. This show based on the Adrienne Shelly-penned movie, features original music and lyrics by 7-time Grammy nominee Sara Bareilles, and was previously a hit on Broadway. The London production is led by Katharine McPhee, runner-up on the fifth season of ‘American Idol’ and childhood friend of the Duchess of Sussex.

On entering the Adelphi Theatre, the first thing that hits you is the smell of newly baked pie, the producers having installed four small ovens out of sight around the theatre, in which Granny Smith apple pies, each packed with copious amounts of cinnamon and nutmeg are baked for 90 minutes prior to every performance. They even sell pies in small pots – Banoffee and Strawberries & Cream – and having booked through an online offer, I was entitled to a free pie.

Flicking through the programme, I was delighted to see several names that I recognised, in particular the two other waitresses - Marisha Wallace (playing the fiery ‘Becky’) whose opening night in the main role in “Dreamgirls” I had seen the previous year; and Laura Baldwin (playing the mousy ‘Dawn’) whose turn as ‘Janey’ in “Eugenius!” had been the stand-out performance on both occasions that I saw the show.

Everyone finally having taken their seats, the show started. The action moved between the diner where Jenna works, the pantry where she creates a new pie every day, her home, and a Doctor’s consulting room. I was impressed by the clever use of the ensemble both as diner customers, and to assist during ‘dream sequences’ and in moving parts of the set. I also liked how every so often the band would move centre-stage for one of the numbers. I found the first few numbers to be reasonably forgettable, but in my view, the show came alive when it moved to its secondary plot, Dawn’s love life, and the character of ‘Ogie’ played by Jack McBrayer (from NBC’s “30 Rock”, and voice of ‘Fix It Felix’ in “Wreck It Ralph”) was introduced with an outstanding number. I also enjoyed the humour of the piece that effectively balanced some of the more serious themes, with McBrayer and David Hunter (playing Jenna’s potential love-interest) demonstrating very impressive physical comedic talent. Peter Hannah (who played the Victorian Policeman in “Doctor Who: Deep Breath”) also impressed as Jenna’s abusive husband.

The interval saw me eating my Banoffee Pie, and I enjoyed the second half more. McPhee got to sing her showstopper - ‘She Used to Be Mine’, and Shaun Prendergast playing Joe, the Diner’s owner moved the entire theatre with ‘Take It From An Old Man’. The show came to an end, but there was to be a ‘Cast Album Karaoke’ night, hosted by Laura Baldwin, in which fans could sing one minute of any song from Waitress, live on the Adelphi’s stage, accompanied by the show’s musical director. There would also be the chance to win a one-night-only cameo role in the show. However, I decided not to stay for this. I would certainly recommend the show (and the pies, even if £7 seemed a little steep – look out for ‘Free Pies’ offers).

‘Waitress’ is running at the Adelphi Theatre, The Strand, London, Monday-Saturday 7.30pm, and Wednesdays and Saturdays 2.30pm. The Box Office at the Adelphi Theatre is open from 10am until 7:45pm Monday to Saturday. For Monday-Friday performances, a limited number of Day Seats at £25 are available in person at the box office from 10am.

Website: https://waitressthemusical.co.uk/

British Musicals: ‘Club Tropicana – The Musical’ (2019)

British Musicals: ‘Club Tropicana – The Musical’ (2019)

Book by Michael Gyngell,

Music & Lyrics - Various

History

‘Club Tropicana – The Musical’ is a 1980s jukebox musical written by actor, writer and director, Michael Gyngell, who previously co-adapted the Cliff Richard film musical ‘Summer Holiday’ into a stage musical. He also wrote ‘Close Encounters’, a new musical which was performed at Century City, Los Angeles. (He was also part of the choir in the original West End production of ‘Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat’ in 1973). The show features 24 1980s pop classics from artists such as ABC, Cyndi Lauper, Frankie Goes to Hollywood, a-ha, Culture Club, Bucks Fizz and Depeche Mode, all performed with a live band on stage. However, despite the title it does not feature ‘Club Tropicana’, as George Michael’s estate refused to grant the rights (possibly due to future plans for a ‘Wham’ musical). The show is written around its star, Joe McElderry, the 2009 ‘X Factor’ winner, and the original cast also features Kate Robbins (‘Dinnerladies’), Sugababe Amelle Berrrabah, Neil McDermott (‘EastEnders’, ‘Doctor Who: The Next Doctor’), and Emily Tierney (‘Eugenius’). The show is due to tour the UK from January 2019 to August 2019.

Story

Welcome to the vibrant Club Tropicana Hotel- the 1980s answer to Love Island, where the drinks are free (but just the first one). When a budding bride and groom get cold feet, they decide to jet off to sunnier climes and feel the heat– but little do they know they’ve both checked into the same hotel...

The sizzling summer season at the Club Tropicana sees drinks flowing and tans glowing. Will our young lovers decide to go through with the wedding? Will the hotel inspectors finally get their way and close the resort, or will the staff, led by Entertainment Manager, Garry, save the day ?

In A Nutshell

“Castaways and Lovers meet,
Then kiss in Tropicana's heat”

Production

I caught the press night at the New Wimbledon Theatre. The audience was full of people in eighties clothes and Hawaiian shirts. Following an opening scene in which Lorraine (Karina Hind) called off her wedding to Olly (Cellen Chugg Jones), by phoning him at the church on his brick-like mobile phone, the scene changed to the Club Tropicana, the proposed honeymoon venue, where both bride and groom had each decided to go to anyway, each with two friends. Following a brief piece of audience participation, in which Garry (Joe McElderry) taught us all a dance routine to ‘Just Can’t Get Enough’, and the show proper started, with a focus on the Club’s owners, Robert (Neil McDermott) and Serena (Amelle Berrabah), potential hotel inspector Christine (Emily Tierney) Garry, and ‘comedy Spanish cleaner’ Consuela (Kate Robbins), the latter two getting the majority of the very funny, slightly risqué lines. The plot played to two of its stars strengths with Joe getting to sing a large number of the songs, and Kate getting to do several of her impressions. In fact at some points it seemed as if they were both in a panto, whilst the others were in a musical. Emily also had great fun in making repeated jokes about Joe’s lack of stature. Having somehow managed to avoid meeting for the majority of Act 1, Lorraine and Olly were finally reunited for the cliffhanger leading into the interval. The second act was more of the same, and the show ended with a double wedding and a megamix of eighties hits.

Very, very funny !!! And with all the eighties hits, right up my street.

Club Tropicana – The Musical runs at the New Wimbledon Theatre until 27th April 2019. It then tours to Wolverhampton Grand Theatre (29 Apr – 4 May), Coventry Belgrade Theatre (7 – 11 May), Oxford New Theatre (13 – 18 May), Sunderland Empire Theatre (20 – 25 May), Manchester Opera House (3 – 8 Jun), Edinburgh Playhouse (11 – 15 Jun), Canterbury Marlowe Theatre (17 – 22 Jun), Llandudno Venue Cymru (24 – 29 Jun), Liverpool Empire (1 – 6 Jul), Nottingham Theatre Royal (8 – 13 Jul), Southampton Mayflower Theatre (22 – 27 Jul), Dublin Bord Gais Energy Theatre (30 Jul – 3 Aug), Inverness Eden Court (5-10 Aug), and Cardiff Millennium Centre (13 – 17 Aug)

Favourite Song

Anything sung by the wonderful Kate Robbins, in particular her take on “I Could Be So Good For You” (the Dennis Waterman-penned ‘Minder’ theme).

Did I Buy The Cast Recording ?

No, there wasn't one available and I've got all the songs on various 80s compilations.

Links

Production Website: https://clubtropicanamusical.com/

You Tube: 'Club Tropicana - The Musical' - The Trailer

Sherlockian Sojourns #17: 'A Christmas Wild Goose Chase'

Something a little bit different this time. Using an app - 'Story Tourist' which I had downloaded in the middle of last year (and seemingly now discontinued), I undertook a self-guided tour, based on 'The Adventure of the Blue Carbuncle'  (only four months after Christmas !!). The walk was approximately 5 km long and took around 90 minutes. The tour used GPS to determine when I had reached the correct location, then presented the corresponding segment of the story in both text and audio. The user also has the ability to immerse themselves further by taking photographs using customised filters – such as allowing me to wear Sherlock’s iconic pipe and hat while standing out front of 221B Baker Street.


The walk began outside the 'Sherlock Holmes Museum', where I struggled to get the filter to work as my arms were not long enough to hold my tablet far enough way from me to make my face small enough to fit under the hat and pipe.  (I decided to give up on the other filters). The first section of the story, relating to Watson visiting Holmes at Baker Street to wish him 'Merry Christmas' listened to and I moved on to the next 'story-point'.

 

This was the corner of Baker Street and Marylebone Road, where according to the text that came up, Henry Baker lost his Christmas goose. This didn't seem right to me, but I took a photo anyway. [However, on my return home, I confirmed that the loss had been at the corner of Tottenham Court Road and Goodge Street]

"As he reached the corner of [Goodge Street], a row broke out between this stranger and a little knot of roughs"

 
Next stop was the 'Sherlock Holmes' statue outside 'Baker Street' Underground Station, where I listened to Watson's failed deductions and Holmes' successful ones on Henry Baker's hat.

 "Watson, you can see everything. You fail, however, to reason from what you see".

 
Walking along Marylebone Road, and down a side-road, I eventually reached the site of Conan Doyle's Ophthalmic Practice (now a Dental Practice) at 2 Upper Wimpole Street, listening to the finding of the titular gem in the crop of the lost goose.

"By Jove, Peterson, this is treasure trove indeed !"

Walking to the next 'story point', I passed two other points of Sherlockian interest - Queen Anne Street, where Watson set up home and practice having 'selfishly deserted [Holmes] for a wife'; and Wigmore Street, the Post Office visited by Watson in 'The Sign of Four', deduced by Holmes based on mud on his shoes. However, the app made no mentions of these.

The next 'story point' was Cavendish Square Gardens, where the app located the Hotel Cosmopolitan from where the stone was stolen.  (The story does not give an exact location).

"It was lost, if I remember right, at the Hotel Cosmopolitan," I remarked.

The walk to the next point - Bedford Square Gardens- did bring me to the corner of Goodge Street and Tottenham Court Road that had been replaced earlier. This point, where I listened to Holmes praising the gem, appeared to have neither canonical or ACD-connections, being chosen for being halfway between the points on either side. The walk also went past the Langham Hotel which has a plaque commemorating Conan Doyle being commissioned to write 'The Sign of Four' (as well as being mentioned in the story and 'A Study in Scarlet'). This would seem to have been a more appropriate stopping point.

 "It's a bonny thing, just see how it glints and sparkles."

Finally I reached the 'Museum Tavern' opposite the British Museum, which appears in the story as 'The Alpha Inn' (but changed to its actual name in the text displayed and read). I felt that there was another missed opportunity, as just over the way was  Montague Street, where Holmes lived immediately on coming down from University, and first set up as a consulting detective.

"There are a few of us who frequent the [Alpha Inn], near the Museum"

The anti-penultimate and penultimate stops were both in Covent Garden, where Holmes and Watson first question a goose-dealer, and then apprehend the thief of the Countess of Morcar's precious stone.

"We passed through a zigzag of slums to Covent Garden Market." 

"The game's up, Ryder. Hold up, man, or you'll be into the fire!" 

Making my way down Southampton Street  (no mention of it being the site of the offices of 'The Strand Magazine'), I came out onto the Strand  (a short distance from 'Simpsons', a restaurant regularly visited by Holmes and Watson).

 
Walking down the Strand, and down some side streets, I arrived at the final stop, 'The Sherlock Holmes Public House', where I memorably celebrated my fortieth birthday. Here I listened to the final part of the story, set back at Baker Street  (the pub has a recreation of the 221b study). Opposite was the site of Scotland Yard in Holmes' time.
 

"In half an hour we were back in the sitting-room at Baker Street."

So what was the final verdict ? - Some liberties taken with locations and the text, missed Sherlockian sites, and worse of all, Watsonian narration in a female voice. Maybe best suited to someone with less Sherlockian knowledge than myself.

[All quotations are from 'The Blue Carbuncle']

My 2018 Awards - Part 3: Doctor Who

TV Episodes:
5) 'Kerblam!'
4) 'It Takes You Away'
3) 'The Woman Who Fell to Earth'
2) 'Resolution'
1) 'Rosa'.

Big Finish Audios:
5) 'The Seventh Doctor New Adventures Vol 1''
4) 'Serpent in the Silver Mask'
3) 'Red Planets'
2) 'UNIT: Cyber-Reality'
1) 'Hour of the Cybermen'.

Signing Events:
5) 'April Signing Spectacular' - St. Michaels Church Hall', Chiswick    (Fantom Films)
4) 'Collectormania 2018' - NEC, Birmingham    (Showmasters)
3) 'Whooverville 10' - Quad, Derby   (Whoovers)
2) 'London Film & Comic Con 2018' - Olympia, London      (Showmasters)
1) 'Big Finish Day 2018' - Quad, Derby   (Whoovers)

My 2018 Awards: Part 2 - Sherlock Holmes

Plays:
5) 'The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes' - Stonyhurst College, Hurst Green.
4) 'The Hound of the Baskervilles' - St. Michaels and All Saints Church, Chiswick
3) 'The Hound of the Baskervilles' - Lincoln Castle
2) 'Sherlock Holmes: The Last Curtain' - Rose Theatre, Kingston
1) 'The Sign of Four' - New Theatre Royal, Portsmouth

(Honourable Mention: 'The Hound of the Baskervilles' - Undershaw, Hindhead; 'Sherlock Holmes: The Panto' - Barns Green Village Hall, Horsham)

(Dishonourable Mention: 'A Study in Nova Alba' - Cornerhouse, Surbiton)


Films:

[After three years away from cinemas, they have been two portrayals of Holmes in the past year. Although neither was a critical success, one stood head and shoulders over the other for me]

2: Holmes and Watson  (dir: Etan Coen)      [Not as bad as all the stuff I had read prior to going to see it suggested. It was OK - just not very funny]

1: 'Sherlock Gnomes'   (dir: John Stevenson)    ['Gnomeo and Juliet' sequel, with multiple nods to the original stories and 'Sherlock', including a large number of visual gags that only I seemed to get in the screening I went to. Even Johnny Depp was surprisingly restrained as Sherlock, and I was pleased to see Dan Starkey's name in the closing titles]

'Elementary' Episodes:
5) 'The Adventure of the Ersatz Sobekneferu' (6.10)
4) 'Uncanny Valley of the Dolls' (6.16)
3) 'The Visions of Norman P. Horowitz' (6.18)
2)  'Pushing Buttons' (6.3)
1) 'Whatever Remains, However Improbable'  (6.21)

[No 'Sherlock' this year, so only what could have been the final season of 'Elementary', but it has been renewed for one more season, and the ending of the last episode sets up an interesting finale season].

'Sherlockian Sojourns':
5) Dorsington
4) Portsmouth/Worthing
3) Undershaw
2) Ingleton/Stonyhurst
1) Conan Doyle's Edinburgh 

My 2018 Awards: Part 1 - Theatre

Musicals:
5) 'Ruthless' - Arts Theatre, London
4) 'School of Rock' - Gillian Lynne Theatre, London
3) 'Everybody's Talking About Jamie' - Apollo Theatre, London
2) 'Eugenius' - The Other Palace, Victoria
1) 'Six' - Rose Theatre, Kingston

(Honourable Mentions: 'Bananaman: The Musical' - Southwark Playhouse; 'The Three Little Pigs' - Kenneth More Theatre, Ilford; 'Heathers: The Musical' - Theatre Royal, Haymarket; 'Strictly Ballroom: The Musical' - Piccadilly Theatre, London; 'Fanactical: TheSci-Fi Convention Musical' - The Playhouse Theatre W10; 'Caroline, Or Change' - Playhouse Theatre, London)

(Dishonourable Mention: 'Wasted' - Southwark Playhouse)

Comedy:
3) 'Jess Robinson: Here Come The Girls' - Leicester Square Theatre
2) 'Flo & Joan: The Kindness of Stranglers' - Soho Theatre
1) 'Raymond and Mr Timpkins Revue: Ham' - Pleasance Dome, Edinburgh.

(Honourable Mentions: 'Lost Voice Guy: Inspiration Porn' - Gilded Balloon Debating Hall, Edinburgh; 'An Evening With Barry Cryer' - Cinema Museum, Kennington)

Classic Comedy Recreations:
3) 'Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em' - Richmond Theatre
2) 'The Goon Show' - Richmond Theatre
1) 'Dad's Army Radio Hour' - Richmond Theatre

Magic
3) 'Pete Firman' - The Cornerhouse, Surbiton
2) 'Champions of Magic' - Richmond Theatre
1) 'Colin Cloud: (Psycho)Logical' - Pleasance Courtyard, Edinburgh

(Honourable Mentions: 'At Home With the Magic Circle' - The Magic Circle, London; 'Ben Hanlin: 50' - Pleasance Dome, Edinburgh; 'Griffin & Jones: Trickorish Allsorts' – Liquid Room Warehouse, Edinburgh; 'John Lenahan: Up Close' – The Free Sisters, Edinburgh)

(Dishonourable Mention: 'Adam Patel: Real Magic Live' - Leicester Square Theatre)

Plays:
3) 'Vulcan 7' - Richmond Theatre
2) 'An Honourable Man' - White Bear Theatre, Kennington
1) 'Uncle Vanya' - Hampstead Theatre

(Honourable Mentions: 'Nightfall' - Bridge Theatre, London; 'Mindgame' - Ambassadors Theatre, London; 'And This Is My Friend, Mr Laurel' - Pleasance Courtyard, Edinburgh)

Pantomimes:
5) 'Improvised Panto!' - Paradise in the Vault, Edinburgh
4) 'Sherlock Holmes: The Panto' - Barns Green Village Hall, Horsham
3) 'Jack and the Beanstalk' - Wimbledon Theatre
2) 'Buttons: A Cinderella Story' - King's Head Theatre, Islington
1) 'Aladdin' - Wimbledon Theatre