BWW Reviews: SHERLOCK HOLMES: THE FINAL ADVENTURE is a Fun Tangled Web of Danger and Intrigue

To kick off their 2012-2013 season, A.D. Players is presenting Steven Dietz's Edgar award winning play SHERLOCK HOLMES: THE FINAL ADVENTURE. The play itself is an adaptation of American actor William Gillette's 1899 play, which borrows Irene Adler from Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's "A Scandal in Bohemia" and Professor James Moriarty from "The Adventure of the Final Problem." Irene Adler is an opera singer and a superficial villainess in her own right, tempting Sherlock Holmes' typically nonexistent romantic feelings. Professor James Moriarty is the malevolent architect of most of England's iniquitous scum, which earns him Sherlock's admiration for being a completely reserved and ultimately clever man.

Borrowing from the plot of "The Adventure of the Final Problem," Steven Dietz opens the show with the announcement of Sherlock Holmes' death, leaving Dr. Watson, his friend and chronicler, to relate the story of the play to the audience through a series of flashbacks. The plot remains straightforward and lacks who-dun-it aspects; instead, it focuses on exploring Holmes' infatuation with Irene Adler, which begins from hearing her singing voice and grows more intense after seeing her face. This fascination gets Holmes and Watson wrapped up in murderous plot of intrigue and jealousy in which Holmes prioritizes keeping Irene Adler safe and alive above all else.

Christy Watkins' direction of SHERLOCK HOLMES: THE FINAL ADVENTURE is appropriately atmospheric and heavy, while highlighting the jovial nature of the lighthearted jokes present in Steven Dietz's writing. Under Christy Watkins' direction the show always moves in forward motion, but does drag at times in the first act. However, she masterfully fascinates the audience in the second act, allowing the climatic moments of the show to be among the most interesting and entertaining. While I may have been moved to yawns during the first act, the second act kept me poised on The Edge of my seat, biting at my nails.

As Sherlock Holmes, Chip Simmons portrays a Holmes that is extremely intelligent and unintentionally humorous, which reminded me of Jim Parsons' portrayals of Dr. Sheldon Cooper (CBS's Big Bang Theory) and Elwood P.  Dowd (Roundabout Theatre's HARVEY). Chip Simmons adds a certain sentimentality to his Holmes as well, allowing him to be more relatable to the audience than other actors' incarnations. Moreover, he is consummately likeable as his intelligence is something he takes great pride in but rarely boasts about.

Blake Weir's Dr. Watson is fantastically loyal and brilliantly realized. Alternating between narrator and character in the plot, he breaks the fourth wall and jumps back into the show's action with ease and finesse.

Irene Adler, played by Katharine Hatcher, is striking and fascinating. Like a good portrayal of Selina Kyle/Catwoman, the audience has a hard time deciphering whether she is good or bad. Katharine Hatcher does an excellent job captivating and entertaining the audience through the convulsions of her character, including her romantic feelings for Sherlock Holmes.

Professor Moriarty portrayed by Ric Hodgin at the performance I attended is a formulaic but interesting villain. The plot twists and turns around this character's ability to manipulate, and Ric Hodgin keeps the audience attending to the plot as he delivers each line or subtle action.

The rest of the cast, consisting of Craig Griffin as The King of Bohemia, Marty Blair as James Larrabee, Leslie Reese as Madge Larrabee, and Brad Zimmerman as Sid Prince and others do respectable jobs with their roles as well. Each of these actors appropriately defers to the leads when needed, adding nice artistic flourishes in the form of well crafted caricatures to Christy Watkins production.

David is a Special Education teacher with a passion and love for the performing arts. He aspires to become a full time theatre critic and/or professor of Drama as Literature.

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