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In American playwright Katie Forgette’s play SHERLOCK HOLMES AND THE CASE OF THE JERSEY LILY, Oscar Wilde brings his friend Lillie Langtry, England’s most famous actress and former mistress of both Edward VII and Earl Battenberg, to see Sherlock Holmes after some love letters that she had written to the Prince of Wales had been stolen, which are now the subject of a blackmail attempt. If the letters were to be published, Langtry’s career and reputation would be shattered. Sherlock and his colleague Dr Watson agree to take on the case.
John Grinston is the director for this latest Genesian Theatre Company production. He has had a good creative team behind him; Barry Nielsen as Assistant Director, Tom Fahy as Set Designer, (the staging between scenes is cleverly done by the cast shifting around props), Susan Carveth as costume designer (she has been GTC’s go to costume designer for a very long time) and Mehran Mortezaei as the lighting and sound designer.
I am not sure if Grinston gets the mix right in his production. Forgette’s play works on two levels, as a mystery and as a comedy. The mystery part kind of looks after itself. I think that the comedy could have been brought out better.
Neilson Brown was a workmanlike rather than distinctive Sherlock Holmes, and had a bit of nerves on opening night which will no doubt settle.
Carlin Hurdis was ever amiable as Holmes’ assistant Dr Watson who was smitten with Lillie Langtry.
Molly Haddon gave a lovely performance as the gentle, attractive, legendary actress and celebrity Lillie Langtry, who everyone fell a little in love with. In case you were wondering about the play’s curious title, Jersey Lily is Lillie Langtry’s nickname!
Who wouldn’t relish playing the role of Oscar Wilde in a play? There are few more colourful characters. Nathan Moss makes the most of his opportunity, and delivers some of Wilde’s wittiest lines, in of-course, a deadpan way.
Gunjeet Singh Chattha was fine playing Abdul Karim, a secretary of the Queen, a role that saw him make a brief appearance near the end.
Meg Girdler impressed as Mrs Tory, Lillie’s unlikable, deceitful personal assistant.
Not for a minute did I believe Igor Bulanov as a villian, let alone the evil Professor Moriarty. Was this a case of casting against type? Playing for the comedy??
Liam O’Carroll was fine as Moriarty’s henchman, John Smythe. Why was his wig necessary?!
Katie Forgette’s SHERLOCK HOLMES AND THE CASE OF THE JERSEY LILY is playing the Genesian Theatre, 420 Kent Street, Sydney until the 10th December 2022. Performance times are Friday and Saturday nights at 7.30pm and Sundays at 4.30pm.
boxoffice@genesiantheatre.com.au
http://www.genesiantheatre.com.au
Featured image: Molly Haddon as Lillie Langtry, Meg Girdler as Mrs Tory. Production photography by Craig O’Regan
