By Crystal Hayduk
The Purple Rose Theatre Company (PRTC) has begun its 29th season with a real winner in Sherlock Holmes and the Adventure of the Fallen Soufflé.
Michigan playwright David MacGregor delivers a new mystery in his Holmes adventure series that is every bit as entertaining and compelling as the first one, Sherlock Holmes and the Adventure of the Elusive Ear, which premiered last fall at PRTC.
London is about to celebrate Queen Victoria’s 60th year on the throne in 1897. But while the city is making final preparations to honor their beloved queen, the real drama is unfolding at 221B Baker Street. Holmes’ lady love, Irene Adler, powerfully portrayed by Sarab Kamoo, laments another birthday, but her personal crisis regarding her age is the perfect setup for the arrival of three unexpected visitors.
The first caller is Auguste Escoffier, the French chef working at the luxurious Savoy Hotel. Actor Tom Whalen demonstrates an impressive range of talent, since the characters of Escoffier and the artist van Gogh (the part he played in Elusive Ear) are poles apart, but both are equally well-done. If it weren’t for his bio in the program, I may not have recognized him as the same artist.
Caitlin Cavannuagh returns to the PRTC stage as Marie Chartier, daughter of Holmes’ archenemy Professor Moriarty. Despite the fact that she’s “steeped in evil,” Chartier entices Dr. Watson with the promise of “amazing material,” a difficult temptation to resist for a storyteller. Cavannaugh’s proficiency with accents is enviable, but perhaps even more amazing is her capacity to fluidly switch between them.
The final visitor is “Bertie,” the Queen’s son and Prince of Wales, who is taking refuge in Holmes’ opulent quarters because anarchists have threatened to murder him. PRTC Resident Artist David Bendena portrays the prince (and future King Edward VII) as scandalously as history remembers him, yet MacGregor’s script puts an empathetic spin on the facts that left me wanting to learn more about the Royal Family of the time.
Mark Colson and Paul Stroili reprise their roles as Holmes and Watson, respectively. They work together well, have excellent comic timing, and perfectly balance the colorful characters whose lives they must save.
Just as in Elusive Ear, I recommend arriving to the show early. Silence the distractions and delight in your stay at 221B Baker Street. Designers Bart Bauer and Danna Segrest satisfy the visual sense, while sound designer Brad Phillips entertains with an iconic musical prelude that foreshadows the conflicts to come.
With threads of truth and fibers of fiction, MacGregor weaves a knotty yarn that is hilarious, action-packed, and completely unpredictable to the final blackout.
*Sherlock Holmes contains adult content and may not be suitable for children under the age of 13.
What: Playwright and screenwriter David MacGregor’s seventh play at PRTC; he is a PRTC Resident Artist whose works have been performed around the world.
When: Now playing through Dec. 21, 2019; six performances a week – evenings and matinees. See the complete schedule at http://www.purplerosetheatre.org/sherlock-holmes-and-the-adventure-of-the-fallen-souffle/.
Where: The Purple Rose Theatre Company, 137 Park St.
Director: Michelle Mountain
Cast: Mark Colson, Paul Stroili, Sarab Kamoo, Tom Whalen, Caitlin Cavannaugh, David Bendena
Crew: Design includes set by Bart Bauer, properties by Danna Segrest, costumes by Suzanne Young, lighting by Dana White, and sound by Brad Phillips.
Stage manager: Devin Faught; assisted by Thomas Macias; managing director: Katie Hubbard.
Tickets: Available at www.purplerosetheatre.org or by calling the box office at 734-433-7673.
About the Purple Rose Theatre Company: Founded in 1991 by actor, playwright, musician and Chelsea native Jeff Daniels, the Purple Rose Theatre Company is a creative home for original American plays. In the 168-seat theatre, patrons experience an intimate encounter with live theatre. [Sidebar ends]
