Sherlock Holmes The Hunt For Moriarty - UK Tour - Review

Whilst it is Agatha Christie who holds the famous title of the Queen of Crime, if the writers of crime dramas and whodunnits is seen as a royal court, then Arthur Conan Doyle would be in high standing. And his most famous creation, the dashing, absurdly intelligent and wickedly unique Sherlock Holmes, is perhaps one of the world’s best-known detectives, able to deduct anything and piece together the most complex of mysteries. Nearly 95 years after Conan Doyle’s death, the stories of Sherlock remain internationally renowned, and his adventures are still being told on both stage and screen, and ‘The Hunt for Moriarty’ is Blackeyed Theatre’s third Sherlock adaptation.

Nick Lane, both writer and director, instead of focusing in on just one adventure has instead combined several of Conan Doyle’s short Sherlock stories – A Scandal in Bohemia, The Adventure of the Bruce-Partington Plans, The Adventure of the Second Stain, and The Final Problem – building a tale that takes Sherlock (Mark Knightly) and Watson (Ben Owora) through London and beyond to solve a political case of treason, murder and scandal, all whilst Sherlock’s greatest adversary Moriarity lurks in the shadows.

I can’t talk too much about the plot without giving too much away but picture the scene; liars and traitors in the corridors of power, a government on edge, a secret society and the professor pulling the strings, everything and anything that you might expect from a Sherlock mystery.

Knightly’s Sherlock is as smart as he is standoffish, seemingly always ten steps ahead and firing on all cylinders. He makes the role his own, finding enjoyment in the attempts of others to piece together the clues and delighting in always having the last word. His chemistry with Owora’s Dr Watson is believable as two close yet bickering best friends, with a genuine care for each other’s feelings and wellbeing. Watson is the voice of reason to Sherlock’s impulse and all or nothing approach, with Owora acting also as the narrator of the piece with effective results, taking us from venue to venue throughout quick and well-choreographed scene changes.

Whilst Knightly and Owora play Holmes and Watson for the play’s entirety, the remaining four cast members play a multitude of other characters. Pippa Caddick’s Mrs Hudson is kind-hearted and warm, showing true affection for both Watson and Holmes, and assisting in whichever way she can, a shining contrast to her portrayal of the clever and mysterious Irene Adler, the only women who could work her way around the great Sherlock. Robbie Capaldi’s Sir James DeWilde is the epitome of climbing the political power ladder, jumping at every chance of promotion and promise whilst Eliot Giuralarocca plays both government powerhouses and Sherlock’s well connected and intelligent brother Mycroft. Gavin Molloy plays several characters including Inspector Lestrade, the hard-working police inspector constantly a couple steps behind in the case compared to Sherlock. Whilst it was impressive to see the swapping and changing between characters, at times a little shifting in accent and a clearer swap of costuming could have aided in making each more unique.

Victoria Spearing’s set takes a three-sided baker street, complete with many doors and staircases and opens it up, doll house almost in style, to create underground train stations, gentleman’s clubs and theatres with Oliver Welsh’s lighting creating shadows and moments that build true mystery of hidden corners and clever reveals.

This is a production that is sure to please fans of Conan Doyle’s famous detective, and to be fair, anyone who is a fan of a good old-fashioned mystery. It is crammed full of twists and turns that keep you guessing, characters you can love and those that you love to hate, and its so clever that it will have you guessing until the very last minute.