Review: MS. HOLMES & MS. WATSON - APT. 2B at Trinity Repertory Company

'Ms. Holmes & Ms. Watson – APT. 2B,' Kate Hamill’s fun, remarkably clever comic murder mystery, now at Trinity Rep, reimagines Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s legendary literary sleuths as two contemporary women who join forces by happenstance to investigate and solve crimes in post-pandemic London.

Joan Watson (Madeleine Maby) arrives at the flat of "deductive consultant” Ms. Sherlock Holmes (Renata Eastlick), whom her landlady calls Shirley, after answering a roommate ad. Recently divorced Joan is an American trying to make a fresh start, immediately taken aback by the reclusive Sherlock’s frat boy-like living quarters (courtesy of Collette Pollard’s magnificent, meticulously strewn set), where the furniture and floors are littered with discarded food containers, cluttered items on surrounding shelves are chaotically arranged, and the music is blaring.

When the disappointed Joan attempts to leave, Sherlock senses her mannerisms resemble that of a doctor and foresees the benefits of a partner with medical expertise. The now even more reluctant Joan, who is easily prone to panic attacks, agrees to move in as originally planned, and soon thereafter the mismatched pair are pounding the pavement—examining crime scenes, confronting suspects, and wearing disguises to gather evidence. Calamity and hilarity, and irresistible silliness, ensue as they delve into their cases involving murder, theft, blackmail, and infidelity.

Eastlick delivers an extraordinary performance as the eccentric, uniquely perceptive Sherlock. Her knack for studiously rattling off pertinent facts, intricate details, and pointed observations without pause is outstanding, and yet her portrayal also conveys sensitivity and an inherent concern for her counterpart, Joan.

Maby is equally engaging and astute as the easily influenced, deceivingly fragile Joan, who learns to shine while basking in the shadow of her colleague. As the quintessential yang to Sherlock’s yin, Joan tries to be the voice of reason and Maby’s depiction of her character’s attentive disposition is exquisite.

Most importantly, the actresses share an evident chemistry that showcases physical comedy prowess (their scene dressed in disguise as nuns is a highlight, reminiscent of Laverne and Shirley) and genuine devotion (Joan is distraught when she finds Sherlock in a seemingly unconscious state, while Sherlock won’t rest until she learns what triggers Joan’s anxiety).

Eastlick and Maby’s performances are complemented by the always wonderful Angela Brazil and the ferociously talented Jeff Church. Brazil’s comedic chops are at an all-time high, mastering various accents in multiple roles, including the meddling landlady, Mrs. Hudson, and the brazen femme fatale, Irene Adler. Church perfectly and playfully embodies both the flirtatious fellow detective, Inspector Lestrade, and the egotistical entrepreneur, Elliot Monk.

With Laura Kepley’s distinctive, stylish direction, the audience is treated to a classic whodunit, as well as an amusing, colorful portrait of friendship and camaraderie. The running time is arguably a little long, but the production is stellar, and the entire cast is superb.

'Ms. Holmes & Ms. Watson – APT. 2B' runs through November 17th at Trinity Rep’s Dowling Theater, 201 Washington Street in Providence. For tickets and information, call 401-351-4242 or visit www.trinityrep.com.

Photo by Mark Turek

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