REVIEW: Sherlock is back — this time with a Christmas mystery to solve
Photo: A Sherlock Carol stars Drew McVety as Sherlock Holmes and Allen Gilmore as Ebenezer Scrooge. Photo courtesy of Evan Zimmerman for MurphyMade / Provided by Emily McGill Entertainment with permission.
NEW YORK — The Rockettes. Santa Claus. The Nutcracker. Sherlock Holmes.
In a few years, that last name won’t feel so out of place in the month of December. Thanks to the ingenious play A Sherlock Carol, written and directed by Mark Shanahan, holiday audiences are starting to associate the creation of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle with the Christmas season. The nothing-but-fun show makes a triumphant return to New World Stages in Midtown Manhattan. This is the second season in a row for the classic-in-the-making, and one can only hope they keep singing this carol for many Christmases to come.
Performances this year continue through Sunday, Jan. 1.
The essential idea behind A Sherlock Carol is that Ebenezer Scrooge (Allen Gilmore) — spoiler alert — has been murdered, and it’s up to Holmes (Drew McVety, who is also a producer) to solve the mystery before the audience’s very eyes. Behind these two actors is a hard-working ensemble of performers who bring to life a motley variety of characters who should be familiar to both fans of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol and Doyle’s Holmes stories. Much kudos to Joanna Carpenter, Dan Domingues, Isabel Keating and Mark Price; they are priceless in their many roles throughout the two-hour evening.
The play straddles the line between a humorous take on these iconic characters and a genuine mystery tale that is begging to be solved. A Sherlock Carol feels like a wondrous homage to literature and literary theater, with a troupe of actors who take themselves seriously, but every once in a while allow a tongue to be firmly planted in the cheek.
There’s much to enjoy in McVety’s take on the Holmes character. In this version, he’s essentially playing the “Scrooge” role, even uttering that famous phrase of “Bah!” He doesn’t care for Christmas, and he’s somewhat of a recluse. Even though his partner, John Watson (Price), has tried countless times to have him over for dinner, the detective is not a fan of the holiday or its spirited trappings. It’s only when he meets Tiny Tim (Domingues) in the street does he realize that his sleuthing skills are needed to figure out who killed Scrooge. Gilmore’s Scrooge comes (back) to life in ghostly flashbacks that offer some clues to the inquiring audience.
There are many standouts in the ensemble, with not a miscast actor in the bunch. Price’s light perhaps shines the brightest because of the range of characters he is tasked with bringing to life. Audiences should watch his many roles and embodiments because he has more than a few tricks up his sleeve. Keating is also great fun, playing a host of roles, including a woman who is smitten for the curmudgeonly Holmes.
A Sherlock Carol is growing in popularity. A recent performance at New World Stages appeared to be all but sold out, and a second company of actors is staging the holiday mashup across the pond in Londontown. Here’s hoping A Sherlock Carol finds a permanent Christmas home in New York City. For fans of Doyle’s and Dickens’ creations, this is the gift that keeps on giving.
By John Soltes / Publisher / John@HollywoodSoapbox.com
A Sherlock Carol, written and directed by Mark Shanahan, stars Drew McVety, Allen Gilmore, Joanna Carpenter, Dan Domingues, Isabel Keating and Mark Price. Running time: 2 hours, including one 15-minute intermission. Performances continue through Sunday, Jan. 1 at New World Stages in Manhattan. Click here for more information and tickets.
