By Marilyn Jozwik
Just when you thought that community theater had exhausted all the good mysteries, along comes “Miss Holmes,” a clever twist on the Arthur Conan Doyle Sherlock Holmes mysteries.
Waukesha Civic Theatre’s 2021-22 opener, written by Christopher M. Walsh, keeps the elements of a good Doyle mystery, only this Sherlock is a woman – a woman who is just as cunning in her craft as her male counterpart.
This feminist theme carries throughout the show – her sidekick, Dr. Watson, is a woman, too – giving it a fresh feel and lots of opportunities for light moments. This gender-bender doesn’t just insert women in traditional male roles, but gives them distinct voices battling the sexism of that time.
Sherlock, it turns out, is an Old English word meaning “bright hair.” So why not a woman? Michael Pocaro, who has shown his mastery at directing comedies, many at Sunset Playhouse, directs this show with an outstanding Sherlock in Alexa Farrell. With her bright orange-red hair, Farrell fairly glows on stage and commands every scene she’s in with a self-assurance in her clipped British-accented speech and crisp, confident movements.
Sandra Hollander as Dr. Dorothy Watson is a wonderful contrast – sweet, soft-spoken, thoughtful – to Farrell’s audacious Sherlock.
The story is set in 1880s London and concerns a mysterious note sent to Lizzie Chapman (wonderfully portrayed by Alyssa Pankiewicz, who also has two smaller roles), third wife of police official Thomas Chapman. The note warns Mrs. Chapman of possible nefarious intentions involving her husband. Thomas Chapman’s first two wives have died under suspicious circumstances.
Sherlock Holmes (Alexa Farrell) reacts angrily as institution staff (Logan Rehn, left, and Jacob Regenfelder) subdue her while Thomas Chapman (Christopher Orth) and Sherlock’s brother, Mycroft (Mark Ninneman) stand by approvingly.
Lizzie Chapman visits Sherlock, hoping the renowned sleuth can uncover the sender of the mysterious message. Sherlock has just been released from a mental institution, installed there by her brother Mycroft (Mark Ninneman), who feels the need to protect his sister from her penchant for reckless actions in her unorthodox and sometime bellicose pursuits as a detective. She’s a bit of an oddball, which she acknowledges. “I’ve never mastered the process of converting acquaintances to friends,” says Sherlock.
Sherlock summons the accomplished Dr. Watson to visit and finds a connection, which is rare for Sherlock. As Mycroft tells Dr. Watson, “She likes you. She doesn’t like anyone.”
As the two women embark on their investigations, you see Watson’s prudence and care rubbing off on the mercurial Sherlock. Watson, in the meantime, throws caution to the Thames River and begins to plunge into London’s underbelly with abandon. The two become an awesome crime-solving duo, generating lots of levity and wit in their adventures.
While the story is intriguing, the feminist undercurrent is illuminating. We learn about the Surgeon’s Hall Riot of 1870 in Edinburgh, in which women studying to be doctors were verbally and physically assaulted by a mob as they tried to enter the building to take a medical exam.
Perhaps the most telling line is Lizzie Chapman’s confiding in Sherlock that she feels her husband is her equal. She asks the unmarried Sherlock if she would feel the same, to which Sherlock replies in the negative. The audience knows what she means.
Sherlock’s maid Mrs. Hudson (Keri Spencer) listens in while Sherlock Holmes (Alexa Farrell, right) and Dr. Watson (Sandra Hollander) meet with Lizzie Chapman (Alexa Pankiewicz).
With a solid story to work with, the whole cast has fun with the crowd-pleasing material and delivers a bevy of wonderful performances.
Christopher Orth has two very different roles – as the sweet Michael, who has been pining for the independent Dr. Watson for years, and the scheming police official Thomas Chapman. Both are pitch perfect. He and Hollander create one of the show’s funniest scenes – both pretending to be German doctors and speaking in convincing faux German – as they attempt to free Sherlock from an institution.
Keri Spencer plays three roles, all with aplomb, including Watson colleague Dr. Anderson; Sherlock’s ever-exasperated maid Hudson; and the grieving mother of Thomas Chapman’s second wife.
Although on stage briefly, Jacob Regenfelder gives a strong performance as the mental institution’s superintendent, complete with a convincing British accent, while Alex Roehrkrasse is well-suited for the Inspector Lestrade role. Logan Rehn handles the Edwin Greener role with appropriate desperation as his character finds himself in the soup.
Adding to the show’s enjoyment are the full, rich sound system that gives the dramatic music between scenes extra depth and the dialogue a distinct clarity. A handsome street scene backdrop, mood-creating lighting and good-looking and fitting period costumes all enhance the show.
If You Go
Who: Waukesha Civic Theatre
What: “Miss Holmes”
When: Through Sept. 26
Where: 264 W. Main St., Waukesha
Info: 262-547-0708; www.waukeshacivictheatre.org