THEATRE REVIEW: Sherlock Holmes:
The Final Problem
by Sir
Arthur Conan Doyle, Adapted & Directed by Nick Scovell.
(Ashcroft Arts Centre,
Fareham)
Having previously seen two Sherlockian productions by the Fareham Musical Society - 'The Sign of Four' and 'The Scarlet Woman' - what was it that that encouraged me to fight against the efforts of South Western Railways on a Saturday to prevent me from reaching Fareham, a market town at the north-west tip of Portsmouth Harbour (where I previously saw SIGN) ? And what makes me want to give more that the cursory reviews that I gave the previous two. The answer lies in the triple-threat that is Nick Scovell - writer, director and embodiment of Dr. John H. Watson. As I have previously remarked, Scovell was previously known to me as since 1996 he has portrayed the Doctor from ‘Doctor Who’ on film, stage and audio, in original productions and reimagined versions of TV stories. But it is for his performance as my other favourite Doctor that I wish to rhapsodise him today.
Scovell gives us Watson's full range - Watson the doctor, Watson the former military man, Watson the only friend of an unlikeable consulting detective, and Watson the husband (to a returning Grace Campbell as Mary). Watson can sometimes be simply a cipher in adaptations, simply asking questions to explain the plot and make Holmes look amazing. However, Scovell's Watson is Holmes' equal, very much confirming Holmes' assertion that 'there is no man who is better worth having at your side when you are in a tight place' (Ironically in 'The Hound of the Baskervilles', the Scovell adaptation of which I missed). A scene with Inspector Hopkins near the end of the play, outlining a tragic event mentioned in 'The Empty House' moved me to tears. It was always Watson who wrote the stories (with a few tweaks from his Literary Agent, Arthur Conan Doyle), and this production certainly benefited from being written by its Watson.
But onto the rest of the cast and the play itself, which combined 'The Final Problem', with 'The Musgrave Ritual', showing us the case where Holmes was finally able to find evidence of Moriarty's involvement as 'the organiser of half that is evil and of nearly all that is undetected in the great city (of London)'. Jonathan Redwood returned as Holmes, and both he and Campbell were excellent, not being portrayed as rivals for Watson/John, but working together in his best interests. Paul Goldthorpe was also very good as Inspector Stanley Hopkins, now working for Special Branch. 'The Scarlet Woman's Lestrade, Ben Lister, got an upgrade, becoming the Napoleon of Crime himself, Professor James Moriarty, and was ably assisted by Paul Denney (who played the King of Bohemia in 'TSW') as Colonel Sebastian Moran. Those involved in the Musgrave Ritual, Graeme Clements (Brunton), Marina Voak (Rachel), and Roger Trencher (Musgrave) also played their parts well. However, Alison Dea's gypsywoman, Madame Vadoma, added very little to the plot. I would also have liked the scene of Watson calling Holmes' name into the Falls, and a version of Watson's (erroneous as it turned out) deductions about what had happened.
A wonderful production, and no indept public transport system will prevent me from attending any future Sherlockian offering from Mr. Scovell.
Rating: 
(5/5)
