SHERLOCK HOLMES: THE VALLEY OF FEAR at Southwark Playhouse Borough

★★½

“Despite a superb effort from the cast to deliver the vast array of characters, the dark twisting intercontinental plot failed to capture its audience”

Sherlock Holmes: The Valley of Fear is not the usual ‘Holmes’ story. Adapted and directed by Nick Lane, it follows two mysteries simultaneously. One case set in a manor in Britain and one in the coalfields of Pennsylvania, filled with unscrupulous characters and mysterious motives. The tale started off slowly, and continued slowly and ended slowly. It is possible that it was more suited to its pace and layout in the book, however this adaptation was confusing, long and frankly boring. A bad case of ‘tell and no show’ occurred, not even Dr Watson could cure this affliction, although he did describe how to do so at length. A handful of specific moments of action felt exciting and held stakes that added to the drama (Action by Robert Myles). The direction made little flair of the eccentricates of the characters and the occasional moment of fun choices (actors bobbing about in a carriage during a conversation) made the majority of the flatness in scenes feel more energy-sapping. The eventual conjoining of the stories felt unclear in many ways and the finale felt like a ‘to-be-continued’ was in implied.

The actors must receive significant praise. Delivering the two mysteries required multi-rolling in and out of characters and their respective accents in slick on stage transitions. In a surprising casting decision, Holmes and Watson also multirole as minor characters in the US plot and both played this wonderfully. Admittedly, reading the cast list highlights multiple characters that could not be identified from the show. Watson is depicted as a mild-mannered companion and observer, occasionally inducing laughs (Joseph Derrington). Holmes is a contemplative thrill seeking sleuth (Bobby Bradley) of typical stoic Victorian stock. Bradley and Derrington make a believable duo and make the most of the moments afforded to them to show their dynamic. As the US plot unravels, we meet Jack McMurdo AKA Birdy Edwards AKA John Douglas (Blake Kubena). Kubena delivers an intriguing performance, injecting charm and style into scenes. The ensemble team shine in this production as Inspector McDonald/Officer Jasper/Ames/Bodymaster McGinty/Cecil Barker and…Professor Moriarty (Gavin Molloy). Molloy steals the show as he fights the script to distinguish his roles and deliver memorable moments, including a genuinely gripping death scene and funny delivery as bumbling Cecil Barker. Equal in talent Mrs Hudson/Officer Marvin/ Ettie Shafter/Mrs Allen and Mrs Ivey Douglas (Alice Osmanski) who utilises her considerable range to deliver similar roles as differently as possible, bouncing off Molloy expertly.

The technical elements of the show could have assisted in differentiating the setting or enhancing the atmosphere more. Almost all scenes were burnished in the same yellow tungsten glow, whether located in Baker Street, Pennsylvania or Tunbridge Wells. The sound design included live singing, which enhanced scene transitions and added atmosphere, but was abandoned for the most part in Act II (Tristan Parks). The set provided the backdrop of a grimy Victorian wallpaper that peeled into the wooden slats of a downtrodden mining town invoking setting rather than providing levels (Victoria Spearing). The costumes were appropriately period and aesthetically pleasing, but did little to separate the male characters beyond a pair of glasses (Naomi Gibbs).

The Valley Of Fear may be one of the most popular Holmes mysteries, but it did not translate well to stage in this adaptation. Despite a superb effort from the cast to deliver the vast array of characters, the dark twisting intercontinental plot failed to capture its audience. Rather than battling Moriarty in a game of wits, the audience were battling their minds from wandering to other iterations of these characters.