God bless us all, because the game has begun!
What a clever idea to bring Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes, London’s greatest detective, into the world of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol.
For the second season in a row, “Sherlock Carroll” is shown off-Broadway on the stages of the New World. Having missed it last season, this reviewer was looking forward to the fun and mystery.
So is it a hit? Is it a holiday classic? Not at all. Written and directed by Mark Shanahan, the show certainly has its moments. Too often, though, it’s just a retelling, with Holmes (Drew McVety) taking on the role of Scrooge (expect more than one “Bah!”) and Ebenezer (Allen Gilmour) acting as the ghost. This “Carol” is neither soulful nor magical, festive entertainment.
In the play, the grown-up Tiny Tim (Dan Dominguez) turns to a very stern and angry Sherlock Holmes, asking for his help in trying to determine whether foul play was involved in Scrooge’s death. Who could do such a thing? Because man saw the error of his way. Over the years he has been generous and kind, his heart full of love.
But Holmes doesn’t seem to care. He wants nothing to do with the case. He also wants nothing to do with Christmas. He is even angry with his best friend and sidekick, Dr. Watson (Mark Price).
Why is Holmes in a bad mood? It’s been three years since Professor James Moriarty, his nemesis, died – but is he really gone? Holmes feels his presence. Moriarty is “hiding in the shadows,” he says. And it haunts him. Also, Holmes is struggling to accept that he can go on without his arch-rival.
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McVety does a great job playing the angry and dark detective. However, he is brilliant in a scene that showcases Holmes’ powers of observation and deduction as he quickly figures out everything about Tim within moments of meeting him. Macweth also shines in Act II, when the character finds himself and the true meaning of the holiday.
Who helps him get back on his feet? Why Scrooge, of course, and Gilmour are up to the task. I just wish he had more to do. He’s not on stage enough, but when he is, he’s so much fun! His smile is infectious — and so fun it makes you want to start singing “Deck the Halls” or “Jingle Bells.” (But not “The Twelve Days of Christmas,” which Isabelle Keating sings at one point as the Countess, Holmes’ former lover.)
Domingues makes it easy for us to believe in the good nature of Dr. Tim Cratchit. Joanna Carpenter is 13-year-old Emma Wiggins who asks Holmes for help after her father’s arrest. Price is an excellent Watson: a good man who is loyal to his old friend. He is even better as Mrs. Dilber, Scrooge’s housekeeper.
Linda Cho’s costumes and Charles G. Lapointe’s hair and wig design deserve applause. The set design by Anna Louisas is effective and simple, leaving plenty of room for the actors to move around.
There’s a lot going on in Sherlock Carroll: a gem, a goose, an Irish candle maker, a rude salesman, and two Fezziwigs. The pace isn’t always there, especially in Act I, but it improves.
And fear not, there is news of comfort and joy.
It’s basic, dear reader.
Tickets for “A Sherlock Carol,” which runs through Jan. 1, 2023 at New World Stages, 340 W. 50th St., are $58 to $120 and are available by calling 212-239-6200 or visiting asherlockcarol.com.
Bill Canacci can be reached at bcanacci@gannettnj.com.
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