Theatre / Zoom
Sherlock in Homes to continue with new show
Following the success of Sherlock in Homes: Murder at the Circus, Sharp Teeth Theatre are continuing their stint of the virtual stage with another show.
Sherlock in Homes 2: Murder on Ice invites budding detectives to assist in solving a murder on a remote 1920s Antarctic outpost.
An interactive and improvised show, the audience interrogate the suspects live over Zoom to solve the case.
is needed now More than ever
The new show is created and performed by a team whose credits including Only Fools & Horses: The Musical and Murder She Didn’t Write and will run from February 13 to April 10.
“The response to the first show blew us away, we were getting such wonderful feedback from audiences who were just so grateful to connect with their teams, their families and friends and the story,” says Steph Kempson, artistic director of Sharp Teeth Theatre and director of both Sherlock in Homes shows.
“With our second version we have been lucky enough to receive Arts Council funding, which has meant we can experiment with some technical magic and employ more brilliant creatives.”
Like the first show, Sharp Teeth Theatre will work with the Wardrobe Theatre to put on the production.
“So many of our audience have been clamouring for a new show, so we felt we had to deliver one,” says Peter Baker, Sherlock in Homes’ writer.
“We learned that audiences love coming up with theories and that each person will have a favourite character or someone they suspect more, and there’s a lot of fun to be had with that.
“Making sure there are reveals along the way and that all the clues are there for the finale is key – seeing an audience member high-five their partner because they worked out a key clue is a wonderful thing to witness.”
Audiences members will investigate who killed explorer Albert Ross by interviewing wildlife scientist Penny Gwynne, general dogsbody Doug Spody and the wealthy wife of the explorer, Honey Money.
“We want audiences to be completely absorbed in the mystery, to be able to get a little relief from the boredom and pressures of lockdown and enjoy a really fun, connecting ‘night at the theatre’ from their homes,” say Steph and Peter.
“Like the first show, we’ll have characters you want to root for and story reveals beyond the crime itself.”
Image: The Wardrobe Theatre and Sharp Teeth Theatre
Zoom has allowed Sharp Teeth Theatre to make their productions much more accessible, with more than 6,800 people across the world having attended Sherlock in Homes: Murder in the Circus – which is still running.
“We discovered ways to make theatre accessible for way more audience members, which as a disabled person I found immensely satisfying,” says Steph. “We can offer captions, companion tickets and our audiences don’t need to leave their home. It also provides a space for our audience members to connect with each other, which is so important right now.”
While theatre via Zoom has its cons – some are worried about being visible and interacting, and others are fed up of the programme – the theatres have found that most who attend the show end up being very involved and connecting with others.
“It’s wonderful watching them all say bye to each other as the show end,” says Steph. “You are watching friendships emerge between strangers. And the messages we receive from people who are feeling isolated, missing their family or have been shielding for almost 12 months now, make you realise how vital connecting is.”
Main image: The Wardrobe Theatre and Sharp Teeth Theatre
Read more: Preview: Sherlock in Homes
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