Mrs. Holmes and Mrs. Watson – Apt 2B Review: The Mysterious Case of Sherlock Spreading the Joke | stage

SIt shouldn’t be so level 2b? Then again, there are bigger problems with the gender-bending reworking of Arthur Conan Doyle’s spy tales than just the Americanism thrown in on Baker Street in the Victorian era.

These detective adventures are set in post-pandemic London. Joan Watson (Simona Brown), who tells us she’s “not” a doctor, is an American taking a gap year as an adult. An apartment-sharing advertisement leads her to the apartment of Sherlock Holmes (Lucy Farret), who tells us flatly that her name is not Shirley. Despite Watson’s reluctance to attend and his suspicion of Holmes, they set about solving cases together.

Under Sean Turner’s direction, it may be a satire or an outright parody with shades of The Play Goes Wrong (which Turner directed). He gives off improved sketch vibes with Robbie’s comedic timing and off-putting, off-putting jokes.

The title “The Lady” alludes to secret lesbianism in an era when it could only be hinted at. Are Joan and Sherlock gay schemers like Gertrude Stein and Alice B. Toklas? No such luck. American playwright Kate Hamill came up with a good idea, but didn’t do enough with it. Holmes may be gay, and Watson may swing both ways, but whatever frisson exists between the duo and the accompanying cast of characters (brilliantly played by Tendai Humphrey Sittema and Alice Lucy) gives way to relentless plot threading.

The underlying purpose behind Hamill’s central gender switch remains ambiguous as the play adheres faithfully to Doyle’s goal of solving one crime into another. It’s very primitive, in a way, and neither as funny as you’d like nor as serious. Instead, it’s a trivial film, relying on genres (including lazy “Irish” jokes) with little probing beneath the surface of plot or character.

Holmes tricks Watson the wrong way with her eccentricities, drug use, and insistence on turning everything (including Watson’s past) into a game of logical deduction. You can see Watson’s point. Holmes is a high-pitched character, offering little more than clichés. Ultimately, you want less volatility and more drama.