Review: The Game's Afoot in Trinity Rep's 'Ms. Holmes & Ms. Watson - Apt. 2B'

Continuing Trinity Rep's 2024/25 season highlighting women's voices (it runs in rotation with "POTUS") comes "Ms. Holmes & Ms. Watson - Apt. 2B" by Kate Hamill. She is an NYC-based playwright whose specialty is adapting classic novels and placing women in traditionally male roles. Hamill brings us another bright work based on Arthur Conan Doyle's "Sherlock Holmes" character, but placing the detective in a post-COVID London in modern times. Hamill's work had previously been showcased in 2018 with "Pride and Prejudice" at Trinity.

Ms. Sherlock Holmes (Renata Eastlick, making her debut here) a self-described "deductive consultant," is every bit the quirky character we'd expect her to be, from blasting classical music to practicing fencing on her own. Ms. Holmes has a landlady, Mrs. Hudson (the fabulous Angela Brazil), seeking a new roommate for her. The latest in a long line of applicants is Dr. Joan Watson (Madeleine Maby, also making her Trinity debut), a neurotic former medical student who flatly refuses to acknowledge her medical background. As Sherlock tries to deduce absolutely everything about her, Watson is almost immediately ready to flee.

Finally we're introduced to our fourth character, Inspector Lestrade (the funny and versatile Jeff Church), who accompanies our heroines on a case after much Holmes convinces her new roommate to join forces. I won't give away the spins on the characters or the twists in the narrative, as Hamill's script has a lot going on; it's a take on the complicated stories Conan Doyle was famous for. After all, half the fun is watching Holmes "deduce" the actual events of the crimes. Murder is on the menu; we've a taste for it, and we'll gladly eat it up. Director Laura Kepley (Trinity's "Boots on the Ground" and "Shapeshifter") returns to guide this production.

Kepley's casting choices make for an interesting night of theater: Eastlick is energetic as Holmes, but her accent fades in and out constantly. That's not a huge flaw, though, and her verve and investment in her character's many quirks hold us in rapt attention through a lot of expository dialogue. Maby's portrayal of Watson is perhaps more quirky; it does, however, work for her character as the very off-balance former doctor. Brazil is pure gold in several roles, notably the landlady and femme fatale Irene Adler; you simply cannot look away. And, of course, Church brings his considerable talents to a very humorous performance.

Hamill's script is filled with nods to many different types of murder mystery tropes, and if you have enjoyed Conan Doyle, Agatha Christie or even John Grisham you'll be quite at home waiting for the next revelation. It's a grab bag of comedy, mystery, and a bit of slapstick.

"Ms. Holmes & Ms. Watson - Apt 2B" is running through November 17th at Trinity Repertory Company 201 Washington Street, Providence, RI 02903. For information or tickets, call 401-351-4242 or visit www.trinityrep.com.