By Kimberly Rau
Trinity Rep’s second show of the season is Kate Hamill’s “Ms. Holmes and Ms. Watson – Apt. 2B,” a “cheerful desecration” of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s beloved characters, performed as only Trinity Rep can.
Directed by Laura Kepley, “Holmes and Watson” takes us to present-day London, where a unmoored Dr. Joan Watson is looking to reinvent herself, or at least find someplace to live while she sorts things out. She finds a relatively cheap apartment, but the reason the place is such a deal is clear: Roommate Ms. Sherlock Holmes is a whole experience unto herself. A tornado of a person, Holmes bounces from idea to idea with great enthusiasm, leaving an overwhelming amount of destruction (to both the physical and one’s mental peace) in her wake. But there are mysteries at hand, and off Holmes goes, dragging Watson along as she tries to figure out what makes her new roommate tick.
A thread of friendship begins to emerge through the chaos, giving both women something essential to hold onto. And chaos there is. There’s Inspector Lestrade, a new, somewhat hapless police officer who infuriates Holmes with his reliance on technology and forensics instead of his own instincts. (Though it is 2024, Kepley preserves Holmes’ innate genius by making the great detective a luddite who refuses to own a smart phone and doesn’t know what Google is.) There’s the fabulously dangerous and enticing Irene Adler, who comes to Holmes in the midst of an elaborate extortion plot, but who may have grander motives as well. And there are a host of smaller, zanier character roles, all played by the same two people, adding to the farce.
Making her Trinity Rep debut as Ms. Sherlock Holmes is Renate Eastlick, a fantastic actress who brings an unmatched energy to the stage, allowing Holmes to be frenetic and overwhelming in the best possible way. You can’t help but love the maddening genius Eastlick allows us to understand through her interpretation of the role.
She is paired with Madeleine Maby (also making her Trinity debut) as Joan Watson. Watson is a reserved, nervous character who falls apart emotionally at the slightest provocation. Seeing blood often makes her faint. Every loud noise is startling. And here she is, living with a jump scare personified. Maby is clearly at home with character-type roles, using lots of physical comedy to get the most out of Watson’s reactions and creating a lovable mess of a partner for Holmes. In other words, Maby and Eastlick are the perfect pair.
Trinity regulars Angela Brazil and Jeff Church play literally every other role on the stage, to glorious effect. Brazil’s roles are especially different from each other – a dowdy landlord in one scene, a manic temptress in another, a dead body in a third. Brazil, always a joy to watch, is particularly hilarious as Irene, the chaotic evil element of the play. And Church is particularly excellent as the bumbling Inspector Lestrade, who has taken a particular interest in Watson, though things may not always be what they seem.
The story unfolds over two acts on a beautiful stage decorated to look like a (very messy, very grand) high-ceilinged living room in London. A skeleton hangs by the door, books are stacked by pizza boxes, antiquities fight for space beside a stereo stacked high with music. Scenic designer Collette Pollard has done a great job.
“Holmes and Watson” is a witty, intelligent farce with just enough slapstick to keep you from taking things too seriously. It’s the perfect antidote to a stressful day and a guaranteed laugh. Fans of the original narrative will be happy to know there’s plenty of reference to the source material as well, giving an element of familiar comfort as Hamill cheerfully turns the world of Sherlock Holmes on its head. It’s playing in rotating repertory with “POTUS,” another great comedic piece that is well worth your time. See them both before they close.
“Ms. Holmes & Ms. Watson – Apt. 2B” runs through Nov. 17, 2024, at the Trinity Repertory Company, 201 Washington St., Providence. Tickets may be obtained at the box office, online at trinityrep.com or by calling 401.351.4242.
