This preview article originally appeared in The Star & Wave newspaper on Wednesday, June 17, 2024.
Cape May Stage Presents New Take on Classic Whodunit Duo
By Lynn Martenstein
Kate Hamill, one of the most produced playwrights in America today, takes a few liberties in recreating Conan Doyle’s famous fictional sleuths, Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson, in Cape May Stage’s latest production. Two women play the leads. The play is set in London in 2021, not the 1880s; and Watson is an American doctor who is burnt out from the COVID pandemic. The classic elements of murder, mayhem and fog in Doyle’s work are still in play, however.
“Ms. Holmes and Ms. Watson—Apt. 2B” is fun, funny and slapstick-silly. At 2 ½ hours, counting intermission, the play is also long—but it is incredibly fast-paced with rapid-fire dialogue, quick costume changes and instant scene shifts. It is also a very physical play with pratfalls, fist fights, fencing and scaling walls.
“We are delighted to be producing a play by Kate Hamill since she was a participant in our National Playwrights Symposium and has her finger on the pulse of what is happening right now in theatre,” said Cape May Stage’s Producing Artistic Director, Roy Steinberg.
“In addition to addressing gender issues, this play showcases a younger generation’s sense of humor while paying homage to the ancient comedies of Greece and Rome,” he added. “The word, “theater,” comes from the word for looking glass, and this is what this play delivers—a look into the looking glass that reflects our complicated world.”
The play is an extremely well-cast and well-performed ensemble piece, masterly performed by four very talented actors. Leah Schwartz is superb as Holmes, capturing the air of superiority and robotic recitations of Sherlock Holmes, the self-professed “deductive consultant.” Alexis Bronkovic is equally brilliant as Watson, bringing a down-to-earth practicality, a sense of humor, and compassion to the odd-couple pairing. She also has some of the funniest lines in the play.
There are six more characters in the play, which actors Amanda Baxter and John Patrick Hayden split between them, ramping up the fun factor immeasurably. Both give stellar performances. In particular, Baxter’s portrayal of Irene Adler, a high-end sex worker, is riveting, and Hayden’s take on Inspector Lestrade, a bumbling newbie at Scotland Yard, is priceless.
“It was challenging and also incredibly fun finding ways to differentiate between my characters physically and vocally to create different experiences and tell a clearer story to the audience,” Baxter said.
Audiences may remember Bronkovic and Hayden from their 2018 co-starring roles at the theater in “Chapter Two.” Hayden first appeared at Cape May Stage in the 2010 production of “I Hate Hamlet.”
The theater’s scenic design team also played a starring role in creating this production. Led by Alex Dannecker, the production team assembled doors on wheels to create portals so that actors could actually step into their next scene. Another team effort, costume design, led by Brian Strachen, also gets high marks for outfitting the cast, which required 20 different sets of clothes.
“In celebration of the theater’s 35th anniversary, we have assembled the largest cast on our stage since the pandemic in 2020,” said Steinberg.
Cape May Stage’s production of “Ms. Holmes and Ms. Watson—Apt. 2B” is the New Jersey professional premiere, running from July 17 through August 25. For ticket information, visit capemaystage.org or call the box office at (609) 770-8311.