Sherlock Holmes and the invisible thing review: an entertaining night out

I ventured out to see Sherlock Holmes and the invisible thing on the hottest day of the year at Rudolph Steiner theatre, which is just a short walk from The Sherlock Holmes Museum. Despite the heat, I found the play, which is written by Greg Freeman and directed by David Phipps-Davis, a thoroughly enjoyable experience.

The play had a whimsical quality to it. Stephen Chance gives us a wonderful yet familiar portrayal of Sherlock Holmes. All the action in the play takes place in the main drawing room of the house.

Holmes and Watson (Phillip Mansfield) are called on by Inspector Peacock (Doug Cooper), to solve a murder that involves an invisible entity at the house of a Miss Lucy Grendle (Vanessa-Faye Stanley), the daughter of the late Alfred Grendle. Grendle who appears to have a history with Holmes has a fondness for gin and is to discover the murky past of her father. Vanessa Faye Stanley gives a wonderful portrayal of Miss Lucy Grendle.

We witness Mr. Holmes clever deductive reasoning as he gets to the bottom of the crime that has been committed. Bit by bit we begin to understand the potential motives of the various suspects through the many interactions.

The play also addresses many important social questions around ‘modern’ slavery and women’s emancipation, access to education and ethics that are relevant to us today.

Sherlock Holmes and The Invisible Thing which is running at Rudolf Steiner Theatre from 17 July – 18 August, just a stone’s throw from Holmes’ 221B Baker Street.