Review: MS. HOLMES & MS. WATSON - APT 2B at The Old Globe

Sherlock Holmes has had many pop culture reinventions over the years, from traditional to modern and edgy, and now, in a fun and fast-paced gender-flipped pop culture-infused comedic parody that pays homage to Sherlock with lots of humor.  “Ms. Holmes & Ms. Watson - Apt 2B” plays at The Old Globe through September 1st.

It is a truth universally acknowledged that a single man in possession of a second bedroom must be in want of a roommate - or at least his landlady wants a roommate for him.  In this case, the brilliant but borderline insane, brilliant consulting detective, Sherlock Holmes (Ruibo Qian) finds herself paired with hapless Ms. Watson (Natalie Woolams-Torres), an American who has traveled the world trying to find her place in the world as well as a place to stay.

Set just after the pandemic, Watson’s battlefield was the hospital halls during COVID-19, and she struggles to figure out who she is now.  Watson is warm, friendly, and seemingly ordinary, so it is no surprise that she finds herself shocked and disoriented in Sherlock’s world of murder mysteries and criminal masterminds.

Sweet Inspector Lestrade (Nehal Joshi) tries to work with Sherlock and gain Watson’s confidence. Sherlock and Watson must deal with an ever-revolving door of zany characters, alive and dead, as they try to solve many crimes and get to know each other. Things take a turn when an equally brilliant but more sinister character arrives on the scene: the irresistible Irene Adler (Jenn Harris).  Can this daring duo outsmart the villain and, most importantly, stay alive?

The play by Kate Hamill demonstrates excellent knowledge and references of the Conan Doyle storylines and popular adaptations over the years. All are lovingly woven in along with the increasingly ludicrous hijinks, adventures, and mysterious situations. It even pronounces Irene as “Eye-ree-nee,” not just for comedic effect but also for accuracy as the traditional English pronunciation. 

Directed by James Vásquez the show has lots of physical comedy and clever touches. It’s a classic buddy comedy between two different people, as Watson finds herself inexplicably involved in these cases with Sherlock. While the title characters investigate, Harris and Joshi play the rest of the cast in various costumes and accents.

Qian’s Sherlock (“Don’t call me Shirley!”) is laser-focused and methodical. She lacks empathy or interpersonal skills and avoids “help,” like evidence testing or even the internet, calling it cheating. She is ready to risk her life to solve the mystery and prove her cleverness. 

Woolams-Torres as Watson is very funny and relatable in her confusion about what is happening around her. She finds a seemingly sweet supporter in Joshi’s Lestrade. 

When these two take a case, they will do whatever it takes to solve it, even if it means climbing into a bathtub with a dead body or pretending to be a pair of Irish nuns with questionable accents.

Harris plays a variety of funny characters before settling into the sultry and scheming Irene Adler.  Her arrival at the end of Act One shows that while Sherlock was playing checkers in Act One, Act Two is now time to play chess.

Qian and Harris were both in last year’s “Merry Wives of Windsor” at the Globe (also directed by Vásquez), and it is wonderful to see them spark off of each other in this play.

The scenic design by Sean Fanning is not just quickly adaptable but also reinforces the battle of wits taking place on the stage.  Lighting by Amanda Zieve and sound design by Melanie Chen Cole work together to keep this parody moving at a top pace.  

The costume design by Shirley Pierson must be celebrated because it is a beautiful blend of iconic character costumes with inventive modern touches. Sherlock wears a deerstalker hat and a contemporary version of the traditional Ulster coat with beautiful embroidery on the back.  Adler's distinctive red suit with a train is gorgeously rendered. Watson’s clothing is modern and comfortable, with an adorable sequined cat on the back of her jacket and a hood with ears, but it also shows how different she is from everyone else involved.  Theres even a quick costume change that had the audience applauding.

Hamill has proven a knack for adapting literary classics into modern comedic retellings.  including “Pride and Prejudice,” “Sense and Sensibility,” and more, and “Ms. Holmes & Ms. Watson- Apt 2B.” proves to be no exception.

How To Get Tickets

“Ms. Holmes & Ms. Watson - Apt 2B” plays at The Old Globe through September 1st.  For ticket and showtime information, go to www.theoldglobe.org 

Photo Credit: The Old Globe 

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