The premise of the play is a re-telling of The Case of the Prime Minister, the Floozie and the Lummock Rock Lighthouse. From the title of this case and that of the Satsuma Stone, the bedrock of this production is comedy.
Julian Finnigan and Dominic Goodwin respectively as Holmes and Watson give an outstanding performance. From the outset the production is first class in its set, costume and narration from Holmes. Finnigan excels as the straight man Holmes whilst Goodwin’s Watson is sheer comic excellence – characterisations that are spot on and handling of the audience that reveals a seasoned and skilled actor at work, comfortable with breaking the fourth wall to include them as part of the show. Indeed, they are encouraged to feel at ease throughout the play – happily following the journey as Holmes relates a case within a case again utilising the spectators who become suspects of a crime within the parameters of the theatre.
Expertly written, it uses the basis of Conan Doyle’s canon with the two well-known characters that most audiences would be able to recognise, but also constructed to still work for those without any knowledge of the original.
With so many versions of Holmes and Watson this performance stands out not only as a great homage to Conan Doyle, but also as a stand-alone work of art. It confounds surprises and amazes, as would an original case by the creator of Sherlock Holmes.
A truly magnificent production, guided through the expert hands of two masters of comedy on stage.
