Holmes And Watson at The Rep

Milwaukee Repertory Theater presents Holmes and Watson in the Quadracci Powerhouse from November 14 to December 17, 2017. Left to Right: Rex Young, Mark Corkins, Norman Moses and Grant Goodman. Photo by Michael Brosilow.

By Mary Boyle

The stories of Sherlock Holmes by the British author, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, have been incredibly popular over the past several years.  The 2009 film, directed by Guy Ritchie and starring Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law, brought literature's most famous detective back into the limelight, and the fandom became even more intense when Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman took up the roles in the agonizingly slow Masterpiece Theater series in 2010.  If you haven't gotten enough Sherlock in your life, you're in luck, because The Rep has brought Holmes And Watson to Milwaukee for the holidays!

Directed by  Joseph Hanreddy, this 90 minute mystery utilizes two of Doyle's original stories:  "A Scandal in Bohemia" and "The Final Problem."  The story begins three years after Holmes' presumed death at Reichenbach Falls, where three patients (Ryan Imhoff, Grant Goodman, and Rex Young) in a Scottish asylum  are claiming to be Sherlock Holmes.  Holmes' trusted companion, Dr. Watson (Norman Moses), is called to the asylum by Dr. Evans (Mark Corkins) to determine if any of the men are telling the truth, but will he recognize his clever friend—if, in fact, any of the men are actually Holmes, at all—and why are they claiming to be Holmes, anyway?  Does Holmes' nemesis, Moriarty (Eric Damon Smith) have something to do with it, or could it be "The Woman," Irene Adler (Maggie Kettering)?   Watson must use the ingenuity of Holmes, himself, to get to the bottom of this mystery, and he takes the audience along for the thrilling ride.

Playwright Jeffrey Hatcher, who is a huge fan of Sherlock, himself, of course, urges audiences not to get ahead of Holmes and Watson.  "It's more fun not to know anything before the curtain goes up—you'll get a bigger kick out of it if you haven't been clued in."  In writing the play, Hatcher knew that the person who played Holmes must be able to really own the character: "...he had better be tall, he had better be trim, with aquiline features, not soft ones, and God help the actor with a pug nose.  His voice must have the authority of intellect and empire, and his diction must cut through diamonds."  Fans of Sherlock, test your skill!  If, in fact, Sherlock is alive, will you be able to find him?

Tickets for Holmes And Watson are available at www.MilwaukeeRep.com, by phone at 414-224-9490, or at the Ticket Office at 108 E Wells Street, Milwaukee.  Student Discounts: Students 18 and under can purchase $20 tickets for select seating areas.
35 & Under: Select tickets available for $20 for patrons 35 & Under. (Select 35 & Under price at checkout online)

Community Events
Veteran’s Night: Wednesday, November 29, 7:30pm
Partnered with the Wisconsin Veterans Chamber of Commerce, enjoy a performance of Holmes and Watson followed by a Panel discussion titled “Dr. Watson Is a Vet?! Representation of Veterans in the Media.”

About Milwaukee Repertory Theater
Milwaukee Rep is a nationally-recognized company that presents compelling dramas, powerful classics, award-winning contemporary works and full-scale musicals housed in its three unique performance venues – the Quadracci Powerhouse, Stiemke Studio and Stackner Cabaret. The Rep also produces an annual production of A Christmas Carol, featuring a World Premiere of a new adaptation in 2016, at the historic Pabst Theater.  Under the leadership of Artistic Director Mark Clements and Managing Director Chad Bauman, Milwaukee Repertory Theater ignites positive change in the cultural, social, and economic vitality of its community by creating world-class theater experiences that entertain, provoke, and inspire meaningful dialogue among an audience representative of Milwaukee’s rich diversity. 




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