by Michael Buzzelli
The game is afoot again when Mark Shanahan’s holiday mashup, “A Sherlock Carol,” returns, this time at the Carnegie Stage.
Plagued by the death of his archnemesis, Professor James Moriarty, Sherlock Holmes (David Whalen in his elementary role) returns from Reichenbach Falls a despondent, inconsolable shell of his former self, unable to find the joy of Christmas. He spurns his only friend, Dr. John Watson (Simon Bradbury, in multiple roles), and refuses to take any new cases for Scotland Yard.
Emma Wiggins (Mackenzie Heidenreich, in various roles) begs Holmes to investigate a robbery, but he refuses. Then, he meets Dr. Timothy Cratchit (Joseph McGranaghan), who asks him to investigate a murder.
Cratchit begs the great detective to help him solve the locked-room mystery of his benefactor, Ebeneezer Scrooge (James FitzGerald, also in multiple roles), who has been murdered.
Scrooge’s housekeeper, Mrs. Dilber (Susan McGregor-Laine), takes Sherlock on a tour of Scrooge’s study. Reluctantly, our stalwart Sherlock takes the case.
The mystery leads him on a circuitous path, where he encounters strangers and friends, as well as a woman from his past (Erica Cuenca, filling in for Caroline Nicolian), and a flock of dead geese (no, seriously).
Note: We’re keeping our mysterious woman’s identity under wraps, but she’s using the alias of the Countess of Morcar; intrepid Baker Street Irregulars will know the answer.
“A Sherlock Carol” is a blended version of Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol” and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s “The Adventure of the Blue Carbuncle.”
Most of the cast are reprising their roles from last year’s production, with a few exceptions (McGregor-Laine did a partial run the previous year, and Cuenca is replacing Nicolian, while Mackenzie Heidenreich is the only true new member of the ensemble). It’s an excellent cast (why mess with a good thing?).
Whalen is Pittsburgh’s Sherlock Holmes. He excels as Sherlock. He has magnetism, boldness, arrogance, and intelligence. Whalen has created a fully realized version of the character.
Simon Bradbury plays Watson, Inspector Lestrade (the bumbling Scotland Yard detective), and Joe Brackenridge. He makes each character distinct with voice and mannerisms unique to each.
FitzGerald continues to bring charm to his various roles. A million actors have played Scrooge. FitzGerald captures his Ebeneezer-y essence. It’s a big, blustery performance delivered with panache and pizzaz.
Douglas Levine, accompanied by violinist Cara Garofalo, provide the music, including a jaunty version of “I Saw Three Ships.”
A short scene in which the Countess of Morcar sings the “Twelve Nights of Christmas” was cut because the last-minute switch from Nicolian to Cuenca actually tightens the play.
The sketch set by Johnmichael Bohach features a black-and-white pulp comic book, or a Betty Boop cartoon. The stage is reminiscent of the 80s music video “Take On Me” by A-ha. Here in the relocated, smaller venue, the set looms large.
There are excellent costume designs by Kimberly Brown. The dapper detective’s final scene remains iconic.
Andrew Paul kept much of the direction the same from the previous year (and the chorus repeats: Why mess with a good thing?). The production moved from the Henry Heymann Theatre last year to the smaller space at the Carnegie Stage, yet the show retained the same frenetic energy. The space is more intimate. The audience is closer to the action. The action felt heightened, intense.
Note: If you sit in the first row, keep your legs tucked in. At one point, Whalen squats down in the aisle in despair.
“A Sherlock Carol” has all the best parts of “A Christmas Carol” with added humor and mystery, and every bad pun about geese that you can imagine.
Kinetic is creating a new holiday tradition.
Holmesians (die-hard Sherlock fans) can even purchase some Christmas merch. Nothing says Christmas more than an oven mitt with Sherlock’s face on it.
-MB
“A Sherlock Carol” runs until December 21 at the Carnegie Stage, 25 W. Main Street, Carnegie, PA 15106. For tickets and additional information, click here.
