It’s December, a time where finals loom over the heads of Simmons students and winter break begins to feel unforgivably distant. During these times, it’s just as important to take a break as it is to keep up with schoolwork. One of many ways that students may choose to do so includes exploring the Boston arts scene. If so, take the opportunity to see a new take on two classic stories!
At Lyric Stage Boston, Simmons students can enjoy $20 discounted tickets (bought ahead of time at the box office) to see their newest show, “A Sherlock Carol.” The show dubs itself a “festive literary mash-up” of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s “The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes” and Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol.” After the death of Moriarty, a distraught and bored Sherlock Holmes (Paul Melendy) is tasked with solving the murder of none other than Scrooge (Christopher Chew). As he travels through London, he encounters characters from his world and Dickens’, with returning characters like Irene Adler (Mark Linehan), Lestrade (Michelle Moran), and a grown-up Tiny Tim (John Vellante). However, we get to see new characters too, like Scrooge’s housekeeper (Leigh Barrett) and a dozen more played by just four of the main six actors. Quotes such as “Elementary, my dear Watson,” and “…dead to begin with,” are frequently repeated to the sound of audience laughter.
The show has a runtime of two hours, with a fifteen-minute intermission between. It’s fast-paced with a cast who dazzles just as much as the lighting and fog machine. Every inch of the stage and aisles create an immersive atmosphere, from the use of a single doorframe to convey every corner of London, to the carols sung to create effortless transitions between scenes.
Altogether, “A Sherlock Carol” keeps up the rhythm of a Sherlock tale, rife with juicy “whodunnit” moments, as well as the heartfelt message of Victorian goodwill that Dickens audiences know and love. Audiences find themselves crying of laughter, sitting with baited breath on the edge of their seats, jumping at the incredibly spooky sound and lighting design, and falling in love with the Christmastime joy that is present in every part of this production.
“A Sherlock Carol” runs through December 21st, and is located conveniently near Boston’s Back Bay Station and the Copley stop on the Green Line.
