“The jasmine in one’s garden has no fragrance,” goes a Malayalam homily – meaning, we don’t appreciate what is right under our nose and seek our pleasures in distant venues. I realised the true import of this saying last evening when we went to see ‘Sherlock Holmes and the mystery at Mallen Hall‘ presented by the Chameleon Theatre Company on Hursley Road, Chandler’s Ford. The theatre is a mere ten-minute walk from my house. In the twelve years that I have lived in Chandler’s Ford, this was my first visit to Chameleon, thanks to a tip from my friend Janet on Chandler’s Ford Today.
The tickets were quite reasonably priced and the show played to a full house. The acoustics were impressive – dialogues came across crisp and clear even to those of us who sat in the back rows. In my youth, I have read several Sherlock Holmes mysteries, but this was the first time I watched a live enactment. And what a performance it was. Holmes, Dr Watson and other characters acted with grace and élan.
Very quickly, I forgot I was watching actors in a scripted play. I felt like I was a fly on the wall in the elegantly set stage of a late nineteenth century style living room. My immersion in the play was total.
During the interval, the audience enjoyed glasses of wine and light refreshment at prices less than a quarter charged by London theatres.
In the second half, Holmes and Dr Watson went about solving the murder of Sir Howard Latham and the mysterious death of his dog a week prior to the murder. Plots and sub-plots, intrigues and rabbit holes – Holmes, assisted by Dr Watson, untangled the knots with delightful craftsmanship. They employed a methodical process of ‘elimination, observation of known facts and inference’. Elementary, Mr Watson, occasionally interjected Holmes in his inimitable style.
Then, without warning, a picture on the wall fell down! It took the actors by surprise and tickled the audience. This unplanned incident somehow made the occasion even more special. I could sense the bonhomie in the room: the mirth of the audience melding with the amusement of the actors, imbued a sense of uniqueness. The incident was soon forgotten and the detectives continued their quest, magnifying glass and all.
Sherlock Holmes came up with the idea of reconstructing the scene of crime. He asked Emily Latham and her brother Roger Latham for details of the room where their father’s body was found.
“There was a writing table here,” said Emily and Dr Watson moved a desk there. The chairs were rearranged closer to the fireplace and doors at either end of the stage were demarcated – one leading to the garden and another to the front lobby. Then Sherlock, strictly following the script, asked,
“Were there any pictures on the wall?”
The audience exploded in mirthful laughter. I thought it was a deliberate diversion, not part of the script (it was in fact part of the script, my subsequent research revealed).
“Not anymore!,” someone shouted. Several other witty remarks came from the floor and the actors too had difficulty controlling their laughter. I will not easily forget those sweet moments. Considering Christmas is around the corner, could this be part pantomime, I wondered aloud to my wife. Emily Latham finally gave us the stern look of a school teacher and with an endearing smile told us to shush.
The play continued. The mystery was finally solved and the murderer arrested. We clapped until our hands hurt. What a memorable evening!
Next Friday: Allisn Symes’ review of Sherlock Holmes and the Mystery at Mallen Hall
Coming soon:
What a brilliat review, Gopi. Like you, I really enjoyed this brilliant performance. We were sitting at the front row and we observed closely the dramatic effect of ‘the picture’ episode 🙂 It’s the ‘Keep calm and carry on’ moment for all. I also bumped into several friends at the theatre, so it was really wonderful.
Thanks Janet. It was good to see you and your better half 😉
I too met some friends from my cycling club.
Thank you for your lovely review, it is very much appreciated. We hope to see you in January for our panto, Pinocchio.
Thanks. We’ll certainly try and be there for Pinochio.
Gopi, you have a new role as a theatre critic. Your review made me wish I had been there.
Mike, tickets all sold out. Next time try grab their tickets early as their shows are very popular. We are very luckly to have this fab theatre group at the heart of Chandler’s Ford, and it’s the oldest group here for over 50 years.
Thanks Mike. It was indeed a great show.
Great review, Gopi, and it was lovely to see you on Thursday night. I’ll be posting a review on Friday 4th November and will link back to this one.
And well done to all at The Chameleons. It was a great evening’s entertainment.
Thanks Alison. It was good to see you as well. The dynamics of following a queue and speaking to a seated you made it difficult to engage in any meaningful conversation.