 Why Sherlock?
When I chose to mount a production of SHERLOCK HOLMES in France, it was largely because of the demand from you the english teachers. I had not read the stories for many years. Once I started to re-read the stories, I was amazed at how many were known to me and how relevant were the themes today.
Themes
Conan Doyle deals in themes as serious as : the ‘hysteric’ woman (à la Freud), sexism, racism, drugs, male friendship, the war, the lack of intelligence in the police force, the empire, slavery, avarice, loyalty, freedom for women and all the ‘fin de siecle’ notions of the day. Yet he does this in the guise of a simple detective story.
To touch on large themes in a delicate and amusing way is the stuff of Conan Doyle and the stuff of really good theatre.
So for this piece, I have chosen to take as my thematic starting block the idea that Sherlock is the forerunner to Batman. This will not be seen on the stage, but I thought you might be amused to know the root of the work which we will do in the rehearsal room ! A simple set, super actors and a light touch will, I hope, entertain and enlighten your students.
Production
We are rehearsing for four weeks and will tour France for ten. Running a company in France is not easy as I am sure you know – the social charges and the administration necessary scupper many great plans. So much of the directing and producing is overwhelmed by the needs of the budget. But that is theatre the world over.
In this production of THE ADVENTURES OF SHERLOCK HOLMES we are chosen to stretch our budget and ourselves to the maximum.
This is the biggest tour we have ever produced and I will be glad to hear your comments later.
Cast and Crew
Four actors : Carlton Bunce (playing Watson) is Welsh born and super experienced. You may have seen him in ROMEO AND JULIET two years ago with Theatre En Anglais. Tracy Darin (playing Sherlock) has a wealth of experience mostly in musicals in Europe and on Broadway – he is american. Sarah Lloyd (playing Irene Adler) also Welsh born has been working in France for the past two years and loves it. And finally, Regis Virot (playing Professor Moriarty) is french. So your students will see how an actor can go from introducing the show in french as the ‘tour representative’ to playing the evil role of Moriarty with a perfect english accent. This should empower your students to do the same !
The designers of the sound, lights and the stage manager are all french professionals.
Our set designer is Camilla Barnes – known to most of you as my predecessor in Theatre En Anglais and for her work with Soulier Barnes.
She and I are both english (myself – half irish in fact).
Direction
The direction of this piece is not easy to describe. A director works from his/her own experience. Mine has been largely in the ‘alternative’ comedy of the London scene. Giving the piece an ‘out front’ style which is pure ‘english style’ theatre.
The set is simple and clever with screens which open and a small platform to define insides. The multi-role playing of the actors is clearly defined and no one should be confused as to who is who and why ! There is a little music to enliven the moment and build tension. There is comedy to break and build the tension. There is the wonderfully rich language of the victorian period – drawn directly from the books and made theatrical by our two superb writers.
With such a cast and crew, I cannot fail to bring you a fast moving, amusing, thought-provoking piece of theatre of 90 minutes – which will whet your appetites for more.
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