The Theatre Chipping Norton is to tour the world première of Toby Hulse’s Sherlock Holmes and The Crimson Cobbles, a “deeply daft theatrical explosion for adults and family audiences”.
Holmes and Watson are called on to investigate the Whitechapel murders that are sending shockwaves through London. When the evidence points to only one possible and inconceivable conclusion about the identity of Jack the Ripper, the world’s greatest detective may not believe the unbelievable.
Three actors play several characters in the play. Producer Emily Moseley said, “Sherlock Holmes and the Crimson Cobbles is the most theatrical of theatre experiences. Two actors depict the most famous literary characters of all time while a third portrays the entire population of London in all their vivid, eccentric glory.
“This is a classic Holmes and Watson caper, fictional characters attempting to solve a series of real murders, and that allows for all sorts of fantastic liberties to be taken.”
Alasdair Buchan plays Sherlock. He was Hubert in Night Must Fall by Emlyn Williams at Salisbury Playhouse in 2016 and Ernst in A Little History of The World by Toby Hulse, based on the work by E H Gombrich, at the Watermill Theatre, Newbury in 2015.
Ben Tolley, who was Kurtz in Christopher William Hill’s Pinocchio at the Dukes Theatre, Lancaster in 2016, plays Dr Watson. Neal Craig, who has worked extensively with Complicité, plays Mrs Hudson, Inspector Lestrade, a Cockney and everyone else.
Sherlock Holmes and The Crimson Cobbles is based on an original story by David Hastings. Kirstie Davis directs. Designer is Alex Marker, composer and sound designer Eamonn O’Dwyer and lighting designer Dan Saggers.
The play opens at Salisbury Playhouse from Tuesday 12 until Saturday 16 September before transferring to the Theatre Chipping Norton from 19 until 24 September.
It then tours to the Corn Exchange, Newbury; Mercury Theatre Colchester; The Kenneth More Theatre, Ilford; Bampton Village Hall; Towngate Theatre, Basildon; The Lights, Andover; Roxburgh Hall, Stowe; The Mill Arts Centre, Banbury; The Pound, Corsham; Cassington Village Hall; Lincoln Drill Hall; Ramsden Memorial Hall; Mollington Village Hall; Steeple Aston Village Hall; The Manor Pavilion, Sidmouth; Theatre Royal Winchester; Pegasus Theatre; Cornerstone, Didcot; and Norden Farm Centre For The Arts, Maidenhead until 5 November.