With the Twin Lakes Playhouse production of *A Sherlock Carol* set to premiere in two weeks, Director Anne Johnson promises a show brimming with nods to fans of Charles Dickens and Arthur Conan Doyle. The holiday mystery, written by Mark Shanahan, opens Friday, Nov. 6, and runs through Sunday, Nov. 22, at the Playhouse, 600 W. 6th St. Performances are at 7 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays and at 2 p.m. on Sundays. Tickets are $15 and can be purchased at tlpmh.org or by calling 870-424-0444.
Set in London on Christmas Eve 1894, the play creatively intersects the worlds of two literary giants. Holmes enthusiasts will recognize the year as the one Doyle’s famed detective emerged from his presumed death in “The Final Problem” with the release of “The Adventure of the Empty House.” Shanahan imagines Holmes still grappling with the emotional toll of his archenemy Moriarty’s demise, opening the play with a twist on Dickens’ iconic line: “Moriarty is dead, to begin with.”
Vance Jones portrays Holmes as “isolated and hollowed out,” while Mike Horberg plays Ebenezer Scrooge, who appears decades after his redemption to guide Holmes through past, present, and future events, much like the spirits once did for him. Director Johnson designed an open-sided set to accommodate Scrooge’s ethereal arrivals and departures.
Josh Holley steps into the role of Dr. Tim Cratchit, introduced as Tiny Tim in *A Christmas Carol*. Now an adult and a physician, Cratchit suspects foul play in Scrooge’s death. Adam Dye plays Dr. Watson; however, fans won’t see him by Holmes’ side for long, as the detective sends his loyal companion away early in the play. Watson’s actor also doubles as Dickens’ Old Joe, the pawnbroker from Scrooge’s haunting vision of the future.
The production’s ensemble weaves together a rich tapestry of characters from both literary worlds. Mrs. Dilber, Scrooge’s housekeeper in *A Sherlock Carol*, gets a nod to her darker undertones in Dickens’ novel. Mr. Topper, Fezziwig, and street-smart teenager Emma Wiggins—newly created for the play but borrowing her surname from the leader of Holmes’ Baker Street Irregulars—add depth to the Dickensian cast. From Doyle’s stories, Inspector Lestrade, known for being easily outwitted by Holmes, joins Inspector Bradstreet, who appeared in less-familiar cases like “The Adventure of the Blue Carbuncle.” The mysterious Countess of Morcar, a figure from the same Holmes Christmas tale, reenters as a singing American socialite and Holmes’ former love interest. Musical Director Karen Maupin oversees the production’s vocal elements.
The company also includes FE Quiles, Jenny Horberg, Kyria Johnson, Nancy Leone, Andrea McInnis, Patty Kotlicky, Robert Manning, Olivia Potter, Willow Gage, and Luke Ramsey, with Laura Chandler serving as Assistant Director. The ensemble features four narrators and carolers to bridge the story’s many threads.
While familiarity with Dickens and Doyle enhances the experience, Shanahan has framed the play as accessible to all, including younger audiences who may be new to the characters. For die-hard fans, the script offers an extra layer of intrigue—spotting literary cameos and references throughout the production.