Sher-Lockdown (1) - Video

Lockdown has seen me finding other ways to spend my weekends and evenings, given the lack of signing events and theatrical entertainments. However, I have found a multitude of online Sherlockian content to keep me amused (the majority of it being free). I therefore give my top 5 Sherlockian video treats for lockdown.

5) Theater in Place - An online, interactive theatre for children of all ages, and those who love adventure – featuring actors and circus performers from around the world. The project was conceived as a way to support the arts and entertain those sheltering in place during these challenging times, performing original skits based on classic and timeless stories, such as Alice in Wonderland, Peter Pan, and Sherlock Holmes. Children and adults can watch, solve puzzles and riddles, participate (if they choose) in challenges, and have multiple chances to win valuable prizes.  Click here to start the 'Sherlock Holmes' section.

4) Sherlock Holmes: The Final Reckoning -This is a British play, written by noted Sherlockian David Stuart Davies and directed by Emily Ingram. It was a Twisted Thistles production, performed at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe from 25th February to 3rd March 2019 (6 performances), starring Michael Daviot as Sherlock Holmes and Mark Kydd as Dr. Watson. Click here to watch.

3) On Demand - All 13 episodes of 'Sherlock' are available on BBC iPlayer, and the first two series of the Jeremy Brett Granada dramatisations are available on ITV Hub.

2) 'Miss Sherlock' -  Available for purchase on YouTube and Amazon Prime, a female-led adaptation of the stories, this show is primarily set in Tokyo, Japan. It is a co-production between HBO Asia and Hulu Japan and depicts consulting detective, Sara 'Sherlock' Shelly Futaba (Yūko Takeuchi) solving various mysteries in modern-day Tokyo. Sherlock is assisted by her flatmate, Dr. Wato Tachibana  [known by Sherlock as 'Wato San'] (Shihori Kanjiya), a doctor who has recently returned from volunteering medical aid in Syria. Because of Sherlock's keen observational and deduction skills, she is frequently asked by Inspector Gentaro Reimon of the Metropolitan Police to help with cases. Although the series depicts a variety of crimes and perpetrators, Sherlock must deal with the secret organization, Stella Maris, who is behind some of the crimes they solve.

1) Jonathan Goodwin - Not to be confused with the escapologist, Jonathan Goodwin is the Artistic Director of the 'Don't Go Into the Cellar Theatre Company', the UK's finest practitioners of theatrical Victoriana in a macabre vein, including several Goodwin-starring Sherlockian one man shows. During lockdown, their tours are on hold, but they have begun live streaming their shows. The first (unfortunately no longer available) was 'Re. Sherlock Holmes'  (featuring 'The Lion's Mane' and 'The Blanched Soldier'), but the more recent, 'Strictly Sherlock' (featuring 'The Sussex Vampire' and 'The Creeping Man') is available until 30th May 2020  (so, you'll have to be quick). This comes highly recommended   (Please see promotional trailer for my reaction when I saw it live).





Click here for 5 audio treats.

The Best Sherlock Holmes Stories

During lockdown, when not working, as well as planning future 'Sherlockian Sojourns', I have been catching up on my Sherlockian reading. As well as pastiches and some recently acquired reference works by noted Sherlockian Kelvin I. Jones   (email enquiries@cunningcrimebooks.co.uk to order a signed copy of his latest - 'The Art of Deduction', a highly recommended book of 10 monographs), I have also been regularly visiting several SH Facebook groups, one of which directed me to a newly published ranking of the 60 stories of the Canon on the website 'Book Riot'  (Click here to read it). Already incensed by its 'woke' claims of racism, ableism and antisemitism, having only just read in the booklet for my newly acquired 'Doctor Who; The Collection - Series 14' boxset that 'Talons of Weng-Chiang' "contains language that may offend", I turned on ITV3 to find 'The Last Vampyre', the Jeremy Brett dramatisation that ruins one of my favourite stories, 'The Sussex Vampire'. I therefore decided to make my own list, of my favourite stories in the Canon.

In March 1927, just before the final volume of Sherlock Holmes stories, 'The Casebook of Sherlock Holmes', was due to be published in book form, 'The Strand Magazine' introduced a competition for its readers. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle himself would select the very best (that is, his own favourites) Holmes stories, and whichever fan guessed the author’s list “most nearly” would win £100 and an autographed copy of Conan Doyle’s 'Memories and Adventures'. His list, revealed in June 1927, comprised twelve of the stories, but included none from the about to be published 'Casebook', which had all already featured in 'The Strand'. However, he did disclose which two stories would have made the list if he had included these stories. Given this, I decided to also make a list of fourteen, which appears below in publication order, with a brief (non-spoilery) reason why I like it. 

• 'A Scandal in Bohemia' - Holmes vs. 'The Woman'
• 'The Man With The Twisted Lip' - Appropriately because of its twist.
• 'The Blue Carbuncle' - Literally a Christmas 'wild goose chase'
• 'The Speckled Band' - The best of the 'waiting in the dark' sequences
• 'Silver Blaze' - My favourite of the 'racing' stories
• 'The Final Problem' - For the battle of wills with the Napoleon of Crime, and Watson's 'final' tribute to Holmes.
• 'The Abbey Grange' - The best example of 'all not being as it seems'
• 'The Bruce Partington Plans' - How can a body end up on the Underground tracks without being in receipt of a ticket ?  The best of the 'stolen document' cases.
• 'The Dying Detective' - Holmes the actor to the fore.
• 'The Disappearance of Lady Frances Carfax' - The most exciting climax of all the short stories.
• 'The Devils Foot' - Holmes and Watson facing danger together, with Watson saving Holmes' life.
• 'The Problem of Thor Bridge' - To quote Holmes, "Was there ever a more exact demonstration ?"
• 'The Sussex Vampire' - The best of the 'rational explanation for seemingly supernatural events' stories
• 'The Three Garridebs' - For the brief moment when Holmes' 'mask' slips and he declares how much he cares about his only friend, Watson.

(My list comprises 4 from 'The Adventures', 2 from 'The Memoirs', 1 from 'The Return', 4 from 'His Last Bow' [half the 8 stories], and 3 from 'The Casebook')

Conan Doyle's list (again in publication order) was as follows (with those that are also in my list marked in red):

• 'A Scandal in Bohemia'.
• 'The Red-Headed League'
• The Five Orange Pips'
• 'The Speckled Band'
• 'The Musgrave Ritual'
• 'The Reigate Squires' 
• 'The Final Problem' 
• 'The Empty House'
• 'The Dancing Men'
• 'The Priory School'
• 'The Second Stain' 
• ''The Devils Foot'
• 'The Illustrious Client'
• 'The Lion's Mane'

(see https://lithub.com/the-12-best-sherlock-holmes-stories-according-to-arthur-conan-doyle/ for his reasons).

ACD chose 4 from 'The Adventures', 3 from 'The Memoirs', 4 from 'The Return', just 1 of  'His Last Bow' (my favourite of the collections) , and 2 from 'The Casebook'.  We only share four stories  (29%).

To paraphrase Jessica Plummer whose original post incensed me so - 'This list is a matter of opinion, and my opinion is always correct, all the time, about everything'.

THEATRE REVIEW: Tweedy and the Missing Company of Sherlock Holmes (Greenwich Theatre)

THEATRE REVIEW: Tweedy and the Missing Company of Sherlock Holmes (Greenwich Theatre)

Fresh from his sell-out pantomime season as Buttons in ‘Cinderella’ at the Everyman Theatre Cheltenham, contemporary vaudeville clown, Tweedy (real name Alan Digweed), presents his take on the Great Detective in a tour between January and February 2020.

Tweedy is putting on a large-scale theatre production of Sherlock Holmes’ greatest case – ‘The Monster on the Moor’ (‘Hound of the Baskervilles’). He’s built the set, got the props and booked the theatre for the show. There is only one problem – Tweedy has lost all the actors! He therefore calls on his faithful friend Monsieur Loyal (Tom Bayliss) for help, and together the two of them must solve the mystery of the missing actors and also perform the whole show between the two of them. How hard can that be ?

A family audience was packed into Greenwich Theatre for the matinee performance, which proved to be ‘HOUND – The Panto’, with audience participation (yelling ‘Clue !’ whenever the ‘Clue’ light lit up) and wonderful slapstick and mime performance. I also found myself being accused of being the villain when Tweedy came into the audience. All the children present also seemed to enjoying themselves from start to finish, with only an extended riff on ‘Two Soups’ losing their attention, with many becoming frustrated at his repeated shuffling on and off with plates. I laughed throughout and was disappointed when it ended after just an hour. It was also a surprisingly canonical adaptation of ‘Hound’. Highly recommended.

The production tours to Swindon, Stroud, Cheltenham, Doncaster, and Chipping Norton. Click here for tour dates.

Rating:    (4/5)