Theater review: A breakout performance from Abbygail Williams cements an elementary deduction: ‘Sherlock Holmes and the Elusive Ear’ is a theater treat
By Doug Hoagland
Sherlock Holmes is a randy fellow who plays his violin to signify offstage lovemaking with his paramour.
They share rooms on London’s Baker Street with a fretful Dr. Watson who’s worried that Holmes’ recent cases, which Watson turns into popular page-turners, have proven too pedestrian to interest readers.
Pictured above: Abbygail W. Williams portrays Maria Chartier in “Sherlock Holmes and the Elusive Ear.” Photo: Good Company Players
Not to worry. Watson soon has plenty to write about as a love-sick artist, a duplicitous daughter and a flamboyant wit traipse through the residence, bringing with them mystery (expected) and laughs (unexpected but welcomed).
The resulting story shapes itself into “Sherlock Holmes and the Adventure of the Elusive Ear,” the latest offering from Good Company Players. Director Denise Graziani serves up a brisk production that cuts the title character loose from his 19th century literary moorings and expands his humanity to fit modern sensibilities.
The literary Holmes created by Sir Authur Conan Doyle is described as dispassionate and cold, with a flair for showmanship and possessing among other skills, expert swordsmanship. The Holmes of “The Elusive Ear” – written by David MacGregor and first performed in 2018 – is a hot-blooded yet even-keeled detective whose swordplay is inadequate.
STORY CONTINUES AFTER SPONSORED CONTENT
He’s an everyman who takes naps, can’t keep his finances straight and canoodles with his paramour, an amorous Irene Adler, a former opera singer and actress. She is a fictional character whom the literary Holmes once pursued on behalf of a royal client fearing blackmail over an affair.
The Sherlock of the play wields the essential Holmesian powers of observation and deduction, which he demonstrates early on to expose Watson’s own randy pursuits. This occurs just before a bandaged Vincent Van Gogh, the Dutch painter, arrives at Baker Street seeking help to find his missing ear. Van Gogh says the French artist Paul Gauguin stole the ear after slicing it off.
Veteran GCP performer Gordon Moore – he of the perfectly arched eyebrow – gives Holmes a nonchalant competence that anchors the production as other characters sashay, lunge and lurch in and out of scenes. Another GCP veteran, Henry Montelongo, possesses an inherent likability on stage. That, combined with his earnest yet unfussy portrayal of Watson, produces a solid performance.
The Munro Review has no paywall but is financially supported by readers who believe in its non-profit mission of bringing professional arts journalism to the central San Joaquin Valley. You can help by signing up for a monthly recurring paid membership or make a one-time donation of as little as $3. All memberships and donations are tax-deductible.
Alex Vaux as Van Gogh and Brian Rhea as Oscar Wilde fill supporting roles. Van Gogh needs the help of the world’s greatest detective in his search for the ear, and Wilde’s appearance is explained as a chance meeting with Watson. Wilde pops in, out, and then in again to offer amusing repartee, which Rhea serves up with rakish panache.
The two women in the cast – Jessica Knotts as the aforementioned Adler and Abbygail W. Williams as Marie Chartier – make the most of their roles.
Knotts is another 2nd Space veteran, and she’s embodied many serious and heartfelt characters in past productions. “The Elusive Ear” is a ticket to new territory, and Knotts punches it with gusto. She is seductive, sarcastic and playful – taking full advantage of a character with a vibrant personality. At one point, Van Gogh notices that Adler no longer sounds like the cockney charwoman she pretended to be, never mind that she’s wearing a negligee. Adler responds that it wasn’t an accent. “More of a sinus infection,” she says with perfect timing.
Adler’s sword fight with Chartier is a highlight, filling the 2nd Space stage with pulse-quickening physicality. Knotts and Williams execute it well, and credit for the fight sequence also goes to Montelongo, who choreographed it.
Williams makes an impressive GCP debut in “The Elusive Ear” as a character with secrets to share and a conspiracy to engineer. Her Marie is a fierce and cunning force with darting eyes that comes wrapped in a French accent. Williams moves with a self-assurance that commands attention on a set designed by David Pierce. He’s created a cozy yet formal Victorian-era room with brocaded wallpaper, a prominent fireplace and glowing gas lights. A pink chaise lounge that would have been fashionable in 1888 (the play’s time frame) provides color to the room’s otherwise drab, brownish palette.
Costume designer Ginger Kay Lewis-Reed offers another splash of color with the ensemble, complete with fascinator hat, worn by Adler on a business errand that’s key to the plot. A rich purple dress featuring a high neckline and a pink vest-like front is an elegant offering.
The sum of these parts – particularly the comic revelation from Knotts and the breakout performance from Williams – make “The Elusive Ear” something easy to grab hold of and enjoy.
“Sherlock Holmes and the Adventure of the Elusive Ear” runs at 2nd Space Theatre through Feb. 22.
Steph
Hey cool! Doug doing reviews, and he brought all his best adjectives with him.
“he of the perfectly arched eyebrow” is so true and perfectly descriptive.
It’s a very rare review that makes me want to get off the couch, but this one did it. Great job Doug, look forward to more.