Episode 115: Sherlock Holmes and the Theater

"we appeared to be two theatre-goers" [CHAS]

Tim Greer, BSI ("The Ragged Shaw") joins us for this episode in which we explore some of the intricacies and challenges of producing Sherlock Holmes on the stage.

For anyone who's been to a major gathering of Sherlockians in the last few years, Tim should be no stranger. From his home base in Memphis to 221B Con and the BSI Weekend, he's been seen in exquisite and faithful costumes inspired by William Gillette, Jeremy Brett an Basil Rathbone. Tim is an award winning Sherlockian, having been honored with the Beacon Award from the Beacon Society and the Morley Montgomery Award for the best article in the Baker Street Journal in 2014.

Tim's specialty is the theater, and he shares his inspiration with us, ranging from the difficulty in physically portraying a cerebral character to the proper staging and set decoration of the sitting rooms at 221B Baker Street. Sherlock Holmes has been presented on stage in one way or another for 125 years and there continue to be many interpretations and inspirations ahead.

Plus, a new Sherlock Holmes Brand ad and a special Easter egg.

Sponsors

This episode includes our two longtime sponsors. Please support our sponsors by visiting their sites:

• Wessex Press, where you can find the complete Sherlock Holmes Reference Library by Leslie S. Klinger.
• The Baker Street Journal, where you can find inclusiveness, a repose from the busy world, and connections with like-minded individuals.

Notes

1:33 Aging like a fine French wine
2:40 February is the cruelest month
6:40 What's going on over at Trifles
7:34 Wessex Press
8:50 Welcome to Tim Greer
11:20 Early inspirations
16:31 Turning toward the theater
19:15 "This may be controversial..."
29:30 One of the biggest challenges of portraying Sherlock Holmes
33:52 The influence of Jeremy Brett
37:26 The Baker Street Journal
39:34 Set design - from cartonniers to Moroccan tables
46:15 Bringing the sitting room to life on set
53:32 A stage production inspiring one of the original Sherlock Holmes stories
57:35 About that set from The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes...
1:04:04 Sherlock Holmes Brand spot
1:05:03 Other thoughts on Holmes and the theater
1:10:00 The game's afoot!
1:10:47 Frozen Peas, Fish Fingers and Beef Burgers, oh my!

Links

Trifles, our other show
Sherlock Holmes, starring Clive Brook (1932)
Sherlock Holmes of Baker Street: A Life of the World's First Consulting Detective by William S. Baring-Gould
Frank Langella as Sherlock Holmes
Jeremy Brett in Number 10
Sherlockian Ice Bucket Challenge
Cartonnier (filing cabinet)
Design Decoded (commentary on Smithsonian article)
Episode 73: Ken Ludwig
Episode 10: The Secret of Sherlock Holmes
Orson Welles at his finest