Ms. Holmes & Ms. Watson–Apt 2B a play by Kate Hamill, recently debuted in the Gem City, a Human Race Theatre Company production. It reimagines the ever-popular title detective duo from the United Kingdom as two young women thrust into a roommate from a hell situation where conflict resolution becomes the vantage point.
The play is in the vein of a comedic murder mystery, so I expected some snarky wordplay and visual buffoonery. The real meat of the story is the character development of the two main leads, Shirley, AKA Sherlock Holmes (Shonita Jones) and Joan Watson (Maggie Lou Rader).
The Story
Pushed together as flatmates like a contemporary Odd Couple, Watson is a disenchanted American who is terrible on her luck post-COVID-19 and is looking to redefine herself by jumping the pond to London. Holmes, the brilliant yet caught-in-a-rut detective, recognizes Watson’s arrival as a critical point for the esteemed ‘Deductive Consultant’ to regenerate her passion for sleuthing.
The Production
The murder mysteries unfold quickly and tightly, inhaling the unprepared Watson hastily into Holmes’s world.
Mayhem is afoot, with only two other actors (Kelly Mengelkoch and Matthew Sierra), each playing a multitude of parts so that a casual observer might be quickly confused. With a bumbling so-called ‘Inspector’ Lestrade seeking Holmes’s assistance, the story lags. The focus never wavers from the burgeoning friendship of the two leads, layered under many spars and disagreements. This is not the loyal assistant role of yore, as this emerging partnership is more of push and pull. Holmes does most of the pulling and experimenting, even degrading her new partner at times, yet it’s Watson who is the emotional core of the piece.
What distracts me from the story’s sincerity is the gleeful, excessive mockery of our dysfunctional United States. While legitimate qualms by the American author, these jokes in past classic Holmes productions were slight jabs between both countries, like old friends poking fun at each other. In this production, along with the omnipresent dry UK form of humor, at times the first half is over the top and cringy. Don’t get me started on the annoying overplayed ringtone!
The second half of the play, which lowers the Americana bashing and buffoonery, centers on Joan’s life delusions that send her spiraling. It is genuinely relatable and emphatic. Holmes, of course, is a more complex puzzle of sorts. Still, the character lets down their guard slyly in a clever way opposite to their usual on-par analytics. With the arrival of the villain/victim/potential love interest, Irene Adler (Kelley Mengelkoch), her skills are thrown completely off. At the same time, Holmes reveals a small moment of vulnerability.
Design and Direction
Director Heather Wilson-Bowlby ensures the small but adept stage (Jeff Heater, Designer) is utilized well. The center living room is flanked by several doors that are portals to different locales, all pieced together impressively. The scene at the railroad tracks is especially pleasing visually!
Overall
As Ms. Holmes & Ms. Watson–Apt 2B pays tribute to Arthur Conan Doyle’s classic stories, albeit in a contemporary setting with a twist. The value of human connections and the partnership that eventually morphs into true friendship make this a worthy inclusion in Holmes’ legacy.
Tickets
Ms. Holmes & Ms. Watson–Apt 2B runs through October 20 at Human Race Theatre Company’s Loft Theatre. Get your tickets through Dayton Live HERE.
LCT welcomes new reviewer Christopher Joseph.
