Review: THE ADVENTURES OF SHERLOCK HOLMES, Grosvenor Park Open Air Theatre
Photo credit: Mark McNulty
Sherlock Holmes is a character synonymous with history, renowned as a detective whose legacy remains unrivalled, celebrated for his keen observation and logical reasoning. The legend of Sherlock has stood the test of time but how does Storyhouse’s original production of The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes fare at Chester’s Open Air Theatre?
Sherlock Holmes, though famously associated with his iconic residence at 221B Baker Street, finds himself far from familiar London streets. In this modern-day reimagining, Holmes is deployed to the north of England, Chester, where an unexpected mystery awaits.
Accompanied by his ever loyal companion, Dr. Jo Watson, Holmes is drawn into the curious case of a missing painting. What initially appears to be a simple case of theft soon unravels into something far more complex.
The story begins with author Jo Watson being interviewed about her new book at CrimeCon, a major event in the crime fiction calendar. As the interview unfolds, we are taken back in time to her previous visit to CrimeCon in Chester. It’s during this flashback that the story unfolds.
It’s an ambitious task by Molly Taylor to adapt an original story by balancing the expectations of fans of the detective with trying to modernise and locate the detective closer to home. However, this relocation ultimately adds very little beyond a few familiar local references which, while mildly amusing, failed to elicit much more than polite chuckles from the audience. The choice to ground the story locally seemed nothing more than a gimmick especially as the plot soon shifts to more recognisable locations such as Liverpool and London. This narrative shift leaves the audience wondering whether the local setting had any real purpose at all.
With theatre being staged at the open-air venue, there are naturally certain limitations when it comes to staging, lighting, and other technical elements, especially within the confines of a purpose-built theatre situated in a park. However, having attended several productions here over the past few summers, what this particular piece lacks is creativity. Don’t get me wrong, these shows require a certain degree of imagination from the audience. But even with that in mind, this production falls short.
At the height of the drama, during a scene at a masquerade ball, the blocking of the production appears messy with white bed sheets held up for actors to navigate through as if they are hallways and corridors obscuring the majority of the action. This cheapened the production, took all intensity and emotion from the piece as well as breaking the illusion of the ‘grandeur’ of the ball. This coming just before the half-way point left several audience members confused at exactly what had happened and left a lot to be discussed at the interval.
While every performance is captioned, the theatre’s proximity to a noisy main road has made sound a recurring challenge in previous productions. Many of those shows would have benefited greatly from the use of microphones. Thankfully, this production employs microphones sporadically, alongside numerous sound effects and audio cues that significantly enhance the atmosphere. However, sound projection remains an issue when an actor faces away from your side of the audience, making it difficult to hear clearly. In such moments, viewers often have to rely on the captions, which are thankfully there but then can pull their attention away from the more intense moments.
With the theatre staged in the round and a sizeable actor-musician cast, most of whom are multi-rolling throughout, there is a great deal of ground to cover over the course of the evening. However, with such a large ensemble, the necessity of multi-rolling comes into question, many characters appear too briefly for the audience to engage with or care about, as they flit in and out of the production.
In keeping with the now familiar tradition of open-air performances in Chester, audience participation plays a key role. Three unsuspecting audience members are brought into the action to face criminal charges, in a moment reminiscent of the closing scenes of a pantomime when children are invited on stage. While this could have been a lively and entertaining touch, it unfortunately falls flat—dragged out for too long, introduced far too early in the performance, hindered by poor audibility, and hampered by participants who clearly weren’t fully on board.
With a sizeable cast comes a mixed bag of performances. Ethan Reid leads the cast as Sherlock Holmes and is clearly committed to the role, throwing himself into Holmes’ eccentricities with energy and precision. His portrayal, however, leans heavily into stylisation, at times feeling more like a parody of Holmes than a fully fleshed-out character. The interpretation lacks the energy to sustain interest throughout.
Howard Chadwick, as DCI Ray, gives a standout performance, delivering his lines with clarity and conviction. In a production that often leans into caricature and broad comedy, his compelling portrayal is a highlight—captivating in an otherwise lacklustre showing. The ensemble performances overall lack cohesion, and several of the fight scenes feel under-rehearsed and unpolished, further detracting from the production’s impact.
The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes is a step in the right direction in some aspects, particularly with the sporadic use of microphones and sound cues, which add an extra layer of atmosphere to the amphitheatre. However, with a production that leans heavily into slapstick and parody, the mystery of how to deliver a real hit remains unsolved.
** Two stars
Reviewed by: Jordan Potts