SHERLOCK HOLMES & THE DEATH ON THOR BRIDGE
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http://www.genesiantheatre.com.au
Date Reviewed: 29/02/2020
written by David Hislop
Perhaps the best-known fictional detective of all time, Sherlock Holmes is Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s greatest creation; a much-loved, though deeply flawed, protagonist with unrivalled analytical & deductive skills. Holmes has been listed by the Guinness Book of World Records as the most portrayed literary character in film & television history & with over 25,000 stage & screen adaptations to date, the Sherlock Holmes oeuvre has always been a popular one to mine. Here, one of the lesser known works, The Problem of Thor Bridge, has been lovingly brought to the stage by the Genesian Theatre Company.
The story is set in London, mid-1891, where we find Holmes & his partner & biographer Dr John Watson bored & listless by a range of simple, mundane cases they’ve been working on whilst being excluded by Scotland Yard from helping to investigate a bizarre series of shootings amidst an East End drug war.
Holmes is approached by two separate parties to investigate a death at Thor Place in Hampshire & he is immediately engaged by the many unanswered questions surrounding an initially seemingly straightforward, open-&-shut murder case. He is further energised by Watson’s challenge to do so without the stimulation & reliance on Holmes’ favoured “.. white powder”.
Early on, Watson is asked to carefully consider the “.. absence of evidence” & we are then immersed into an investigation where numerous characters come into play as possible suspects, falsehoods & red herrings are ever-present, & work is hampered by the bumbling interference of a local detective. It is an innovative plot structure whose ideas have been reflected more recently in shows as diverse as Murder She Wrote, CSI: Crime Scene Investigations & Elementary.
Patrick Magee, creator & star of the improvised mystery show The Game is Afoot! & long-time Holmes & Doctor Who expert, breathes life into his portrayal of Sherlock Holmes; an assured performance that mixes the cliched turns-of-phrase, quirky mannerisms & universally recognisable uniform of deer-stalker hat, coat & cane that we have all grown up with along with a passionate & yet nuanced understanding of the complex mind of the great detective.
The audience is swept along with the power of Holmes deductions & poignant witticisms, nicely balanced & counterpointed by Nick Fitzsimmons’ controlled & reasoned performance as the caring friend & associate, Dr Watson.
Joanne Coleman as Grace Dunbar & Krassy Alexandrova as Senhora Sofia are both perfectly cast & deliver solid performances as strong, independent women in the late 19th Century. Dean Tuttle’s Roger Gibson is layered & compelling: a simple man caught up in a complex web somewhat beyond his control & understanding.
Myles Waddell’s performance as Detective Phillips is entertaining. The Hampshire detective tries his best to explore the tenets of “opportunity, motive & means” along with many theatrical gestures but as Watson repeatedly observes, really needs to be spoken to in “simple terms”.
Shane Bates’ Mrs Moffat brings the strongest comedic element to the play & creates an interesting characterisation for the others to play against. Her simplistic outlook (“Work doesn’t stop just because a mistress is dead”) belays the machinations that underpin her actions. Kate Smytheman plays the simple maid Maisie equally artfully.
Credit must be given to Director Carlin Hurdis & AD Emma Whitehead for their tight direction, impeccable sense of timing & the staging choices made as well as to Genesian stalwart, Sandra Bass, for her clever adaptation of Arthur Conan Doyles’ short story & her own comedic flair. Particularly striking is their use of almost cinematic flashbacks, cleverly signalled by the use of shadows against a silhouetted screen, red & blue lighting effects & atmospheric music. More generally, the look & feel of this production owes much to the work of Michael Schnell (Lighting & Sound Design) & Nick Lee (Composer).
Tom Bannerman’s set design is pared back & brilliantly executed, conveying the warmth & bohemian atmosphere of Victorian London at 221B Baker St & the grandeur of Thor Place through hues of burgundy, heritage green & gold trim as well as the coldness & danger of the bridge at night. Susan Carveth’s varied period costumes are a perfect complement.
For those that love Arthur Conan Doyle’s writing, period melodramas, or just a damn good whodunnit mystery, this enthusiastic & affectionate performance by the Genesian Theatre Company is a must-see.