★★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.

CABLE STREET at Southwark Playhouse Borough

★★★

“a good effort to remind the audience of the power of the people against malevolent political forces”

It’s not often that you get a musical written about your old street. As a previous resident of one of the roads leading off Cable Street, I’ve passed by the large mural commemorating the 1936 Battle of Cable Street numerous times without looking deeply into this symbol of mass resistance to fascism.

Now, in the model of Hamilton or Operation Mincemeat, writers Alex Kanefsky (book) and Tim Gilvin (music and lyrics) have pulled together a reflective show that uses song and dance to surface this lesser-known historic event. As in Hamilton, the music reflects a variety of cultures, with hip hop references layered on top of Jewish and Irish musical references. As in Operation Mincemeat, the fascists get arguably the best song.

For those who were not paying attention to their interwar British history, the Battle of Cable Street is so named after the road on which a patchwork army of Jewish, Irish, Socialist and Trade Union groups held back thousands of Oswald Moseley’s British Union of Fascists set on marching through what was then a predominantly Jewish area of East London. The musical interpretation uses the story of three families to explore just some of the hundreds of thousands in the motley coalition. The Battle of Cable Street has since become known as the day that fascism in Britain was defeated, and prevented it ever gaining a political hold on the country.

The show is framed by a modern day East End walking tour recounting this history, with an overbearing tourist from New York asking questions about her mother, once a local. This walking tour pops up in several scenes, either interrupting the events playing out in 1936, or contrasting with rival (and rather tasteless) Jack the Ripper tours that stomp the same cobbled streets.

If the stories of three families and two warring walking tours sounds like a few too many strands, you might be correct. At times the compact performance space of the Southwark Playhouse felt a little cramped; this worked well when presenting about the claustrophobic housing, and less so when trying to follow contrasting narratives. Actors playing instruments on stage to accompany the semi-concealed band also contributed to the cluttering of the space. Aoife Mac Namara’s fiddle made sense in the numbers with a gaelic undertone, but the electric guitar felt out of place.

The central playing space is surrounded on three sides by seating, with the back wall covered with haphazard wired and wooden fencing. On stage is a large bureau, two desks and chairs pushed against the back. These are regularly repositioned to create the different scenes, with the simplicity working well. On the whole, the set (Yoav Segal) and props were used effectively, except a very obviously homemade horse head used to represent a police cavalry came across as more Blue Peter than War Horse.

Of the 1936 events, Sha Dessi as Mairead Kenny, daughter of an Irish immigrant, drives the show forward with strong vocals and resolute determination. Dessi’s character has to balance fervent revolutionary zeal with a laundry list of responsibilities. She meets and falls for Sammy Scheinberg (Joshua Ginsberg), the rapping son of Jewish family living close who is struggling to find work. Similarly, Ron Williams (Danny Colligan) is a northerner from Lancashire who is also failing to find any work, but unlike Sammy who gets influenced by Mairead into coming along to communist meetings, Ron falls into the fascist embrace.

The ensemble cast was stuffed with talent, with supporting actors contending with multiple character changes. Debbie Chazen as the visiting New Yorker, Mairead’s Irish mother, and also a bumbling police officer was a standout, as was Jade Johnson whose solo Stranger / Sister was performed with sensitivity and power. Sophia Ragavelas who leads one of the strongest songs in the show – a rousing No Pasaran in the model of Les Miserables barricade scene – was also a highlight.

There are many things that work well with Cable Street, though ultimately it neither gets the high tension and deep emotion of Hamilton, or the tongue in cheek hilarity of Mincemeat. The ending is unsatisfactory – with a rush of events that threaten to derail the entire show and saved by the unveiling of a man who we already know isn’t dead. As a small point, the modern day East End is not well represented – there’s only one mention of the Bangladeshi community in passing (a 1978 murder) who have contributed so much to the area in the past 50 years.

Given the current political environment and rise of antisemitism across the UK, this is a good effort to remind the audience of the power of the people against malevolent political forces, featuring a strong selection of upbeat musical numbers. However, a little more restraint from director Adam Lenson, or a pruning of the dense narratives might have helped tell this important story a little better.

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 at Southwark Playhouse Borough

Reviewed on 28th March 2024

by Jessica Potts

Photography by Alex Harvey-Brown

Previously reviewed at Southwark Playhouse venues:

SHERLOCK HOLMES: THE VALLEY OF FEAR

SHERLOCK HOLMES: THE VALLEY OF FEAR

CABLE STREET at Southwark Playhouse Borough

★★★

“a good effort to remind the audience of the power of the people against malevolent political forces”

CABLE STREET at Southwark Playhouse Borough

Reviewed on 26th February 2024

by Rosie Thomas

Photography by Jane Hobson

Previously reviewed at Southwark Playhouse venues:

CABLE STREET

CABLE STREET