Blackeyed Theatre’s acclaimed Sherlock Holmes: The Valley of Fear is now on at Southwark Playhouse Borough.
Adapted by Nick Lane from Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s fourth and final Sherlock Holmes novel, The Valley of Fear is crammed full of adventure, mystery and of course one or two rather brilliant deductions, and makes a much-anticipated return in a production that combines stylish theatricality, original music and magical storytelling.
A mysterious, coded message is received, a warning of imminent danger, drawing Sherlock Holmes and the faithful Dr Watson into a tale of intrigue and murder stretching from 221B Baker Street to an ancient, moated manor house to the bleak Pennsylvanian Vermissa Valley. Faced with a trail of bewildering clues, Holmes begins to unearth a darker, wider web of corruption, a secret society and the sinister work of one Professor Moriarty.
With original music composed by Tristan Parkes, The Valley of Fear stars Bobby Bradley (Macbeth, Donmar Warehouse; Hedda Gabler, National Theatre; Encounters With The Past, Hampton Court Palace), Joseph Derrington (The Importance of Being Earnest, MAC Belfast; Animal Farm, Royal & Derngate Northampton), Blake Kubena (Vikings, Amazon Prime/History Channel; The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, Blackeyed Theatre), Gavin Molloy (The Alchemist, Riverside Studios; Everything Must Go, Lyric Theatre Hammersmith; Eastenders, BBC) and Alice Osmanksi (Some Mothers Do Ave Em, UK Tour; The Entertainer, Curve Theatre/Simon Friend UK tour).
Artistic Director of Blackeyed Theatre Adrian McDougall comments, ‘I’m thrilled to bring this fabulous adaptation back to the stage at the wonderful Southwark Playhouse Borough this Spring. It just happens to coincide with our 20th birthday, and it’s fitting that Sherlock Holmes: The Valley of Fear is such a joyous (and thrilling) celebration of theatre. The production has so much to enjoy, from the performances to the design to the ingenious script, which manages to condense the novel’s two narratives into an exciting, stylish piece of theatre. I’m looking forward to London audiences revelling in the opportunity to help solve this epic mystery!’
Southwark Playhouse Borough (The Large), 77-85 Newington Causeway, London SE1 6BD until April 13th.
Booking: southwarkplayhouse.co.uk
