There is so much melancholia within the soul of sleuth extraordinaire Sherlock Holmes. After all, when your arch-nemesis Professor Moriarty is no more, what’s the point of living? I mean, sure, Holmes probably helped cause the death after a scuffle, but can we stop splitting hairs about it? There’s a true victim here, and that’s Holmes, who has one less enemy to spar with at the edge of a cliff.
With Sherlock getting all bah-humbuggy on everyone around him as the festivities of Christmas kick off in London, there’s another death that needs his attention, and fast. That would be the passing of the original miser, Ebenezer Scrooge. Ahh yes, purpose and action await; Sherlock is back, baby!
San Jose Stage’s production of Mark Shanahan’s mashup delight “A Sherlock Carol” is a sharp entry into the Bay Area’s Christmas canon, pulled together with a surefire cast executing a dexterous, physical staging. The mashup of both Charles Dickens and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s most recognizable literary creation is joyful in Shanahan’s adaptation, despite having more than its share of bouts with loquacity.
The sultan of sad sackery that is Sherlock (L. Peter Callender) mopes around incessantly. Even some encouragement from the loyal Dr. Watson (Mike Storm) isn’t enough to coax the greatness out of Holmes. But the investigative powers required of a gumshoe the level that Holmes offers is just too tempting to turn down.
After a first act in which there are a few too many lulls, the second act tightens up mightily, when most of the payoffs are teed up and delivered.
The show doesn’t always execute massive laughs, but there is plenty of humor extracted from the veteran cast of six, many of whom are playing multiple characters to great effect. Director Kenneth Kelleher is terrific at staging a classic, and the two specific stories to meld here play to his tableau-ish, minimalist strengths. The largely bare stage opens up the opportunity to fill the blank canvas, which Kelleher leans into effectively.
Regular San Jose Stage patrons will instantly recognize many in the cast, yet a relative newcomer is effusive in polish and charm. Anjoli Aguilar’s turn as the Countess and others swims in stage generalship, eliciting plenty of giggles and guffaws. Veterans include Julian López-Morillas as both the curmudgeon and cackling versions of Scrooge, instantly recognizable to anyone who has made “A Christmas Carol” part of their own personal holiday tradition.
Li-Leng Au’s own work not only includes terrific character portrayals, but also the informing of some sapid attention to dialect details as the lead coach. Storm also takes great care of his characters, moving the story forward with great commitments to his portrayals styled with truth. Keith Pinto makes a common practice of offering a wide-range of characterizations, as familiar with every nook and cranny of the San Jose Stage’s dimensions as anyone who performs there.
Callender’s taut approach has the advantage of maintaining a fire–breathing intensity for incredible lengths of time. Rarely does he leave the stage, locking down inside the story with the responsibility of building two iconic characters within his Holmes. After spending time with Callender’s portrayal, there’s a strong feeling that the virtues of both sources are built nicely inside one physical and emotional body of work.
The aesthetics of a period piece must be crafted with a specific type of precision. Whether it’s Jonathan Williams’ scenic and production design, Lauren Suiter’s pithy and posh costumes exuding the dark world of foggy ol’ London, or even Maurice Vercoutere’s smoky lighting plot, a vibe of both magic holiday and anti-Christmas inside a classic works delightfully.
Traditions this time of year are such a joyous piece of the season, with classic literature possessing a role within a reader’s heart. While Scrooge and Sherlock live within their own classic Rushmore, it’s also fun to think of folks like Tim Cratchit who’s not so tiny anymore.
Seems that he turned out just fine thanks to Scrooge’s generosity. You see, kindness is still alive and well inside these classic stories.
Well, except for what Holmes might have done to the poor professor on that cliff. That’s pretty bad.
David John Chávez is chair of the American Theatre Critics/Journalists Association and a two-time juror for the Pulitzer Prize for Drama (2022-23). @davidjchavez
‘A SHERLOCK CAROL’
By Mark Shanahan, presented by San Jose Stage Company
Through: Dec. 15
Where: San Jose Stage, 490 S.1st St., San Jose
Running time: 2 hours, 10 minutes, with an intermission
Tickets: $17-$74; www.thestage.org
