Review: SHERLOCK HOLMES MEETS THE BULLY OF BAKER STREET at Culver City Public Theatre

Since 1998, Culver City Public Theatre has been presenting a wide variety of plays outdoors each Summer weekend in the city's Paul Carlson Park, with noon plays geared to families with more traditional afternoon shows geared to fans of classical theatre. But this is a year unlike any other in our lifetimes with so many cherished theater traditions now on hold, resulting in Culver City Public Theatre's annual outdoor production going viral, being presented outdoor-in-spirit but streaming online via Zoom.

I am pleased to report that the group's West Coast premiere of "Sherlock Holmes Meets the Bully of Baker Street" is brimming with the comedy, excitement and music synonymous with its Carlson Park productions thanks to director Marina Tidwell's insightful production techniques, including her Monty Pythonesque scenic design elements which add in a wonderful sense of whimsy to the show.

Her talented cast includes Michael Clark, Christian Edsall, Brian Knoebel, Maggie McKissick, Richard R Rosales and Ashley J. Woods (pictured as Vicky introducing the play), edited together in on-screen boxes to appear they are really looking at each other, even though taped in their own homes in 6 separate locations. Backgrounds often match closely enough to allow younger audience members to believe characters are really in same room.

"Sherlock Holmes Meets the Bully of Baker Street" offers a new twist on the beloved and brilliant Arthur Conan Doyle tales of London's greatest detective. This time 'round, Holmes is confounded by a mysterious menace lurking very close to his home. But just who is the Bully of Baker Street? And when his/her identity is discovered, can that bully be stopped?

Will Sherlock's keen observational and deductive skills foil this scourge or will the stately Holmes of England be stumped, especially since his trusty sidekick Watson is away on an "extended" vacation?

And what is Little Orphan Annie (Maggie McKissick) doing in the story? And just what role does she play in the disappearance Holmes is attempting to solve?

Thanks to the intrepid band of actors who skillfully use humor, logic, and song to perform this original tale, many important lessons in problem-solving and empathy for others are shared in a very entertaining way, most noticeably by Richard R Rosales as the famous Sherlock Holmes and Ashley J. Woods who we meet as the streetwise Vicky who Holmes molds into this new "assistant" Watson.

Can this dynamic duo from opposite sides of the streetcar tracks learn to understand each other, let alone figure out the who-done-it together? All I will tell you is it's certainly fun to watch!

Beautiful time-period perfect costumes designed by Daniel Kruger enhance a very fun and easy-to-follow script written by David Hansen.

The play certainly lends itself to an interactive, audience-response production in the future when such gatherings, especially with children, can resume safely. In fact, I can't wait to see it when enthusiastic audience members can actually answer back what decision a character should make on five different occasions, "much like is done with young children watching 'Blue's Clues' at home," according to playwright Hansen.

The last weekend of "Sherlock Holmes Meets the Bully of Baker Street" performances take place on Zoom on Saturday, September 19th at 12pm and Sunday, September 20th at 3pm, FREE with advance registration for tickets through Eventbrite at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/sherlock-holmes-meets-the-bully-of-baker-street-tickets-115923898501 For further details as well as how to view the performance and information about future productions (when scheduled), visit www.ccpt.org.

(Pictured is Christian Edsall as Sir Arthur Dean Cloony)

These performances are made possible in part by the City of Culver City and its Cultural Affairs Commission, with support from Sony Pictures Entertainment and the Culver City Arts Foundation.

Cast photos courtesy of Culver City Public Theatre