Reviews

Sherlock Holmes: The Three Students
Posted by The Devil (admin) on Jul 26 2009
Reviews >> Theatre

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The concept of wandering from location to location to perform the various scenes is a good one and particularly appropriate when adapting a Sherlock Holmes story, for it was his desire to be right on the spot that so differentiated Sherlock from his brother, Mycroft. Owen Dudley Edwards—Conan Doyle's official biographer—has adapted this short story, relocating it to Edinburgh, and our meanderings take us from St Patrick's, initially on a search for Holmes (who is found at Old College), and thence to George Square where the bulk of the play is acted out.

There were a number of things that mildly irritated this reviewer; there were some horribly jarring anachronisms (usually involving an attempt to be amusingly topical or politically correct) and, whilst one can accept that we need a number of guides, was it really necessary to split Watson into four people (including two who simply couldn't act)? However, Holmes himself, whilst being mildly camp, is convincingly played by Nick Salamone and Simon Tait is endearingly convincing as the fussy Greek lecturer, Hilton Soames.

Altogether then, this is an entertaining production, ingeniously adapted in the main, and as pleasant a sunny afternoon as I have spent. Despite the reservations outlined above, this reviewer had a very good time and would recommend that you try to catch up with Sherlock Holmes: The Three Students.

Venue: C outside St Patrick's (Venue 219), Edinburgh Fringe 2006.

© Chris Mounsey, August 2006—Published on EdinburghGuide.com

Last changed: Jul 26 2009 at 2:13 PM