Elementary: Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson solve another case in ‘Holmes and Watson’ (2024)

Dr. Watson, played by Danny Bayer, in the opening scene of “Holmes and Watson,” the latest production of the Actors Guild of Parkersburg. The show opens at 8 p.m. Friday. (Photo by Jess Mancini)

PARKERSBURG — Sherlock Holmes returns Friday to the Actors Guild in Parkersburg.

Written by Jeffrey Hatcher, “Holmes & Watson” features the famed fictional sleuth who is presumed dead after he and nemesis Professor Moriarity go over the falls at Reichenbach. Bodies were never recovered and three years later in 1894, Dr. Watson receives a telegram from an insane asylum where three men claim to be Sherlock Holmes.

The show opens 8 p.m. Friday and will be presented 8 p.m. Saturday, June 14 and June 15 and 2:30 p.m. matinees on Sunday and June 16.

Tickets are $20, half-price on opening night. Tickets or information are available at https://www.actors-guild.com/buy-tickets.html or the box office that is open only before each performance on show nights at 304 485-1300.

About two dozen tickets remain for Friday.

From left, the orderly, played by Charlie Smith, removes a revolver from Dr. Watson, played by Danny Bayer, at the insane asylum where he is greeted by Dr. Evans, played by Charles Roberts, in “Holmes and Watson.” The production opens at 8 p.m. Friday for a six-show run at the Actors Guild of Parkersburg. (Photo by Jess Mancini)

The play has a gothic feel, Greg Merrit, who plays Sherlock No. 2, said.

“The play unfolds with twists and turns right up until the end,” Merritt said “It’s a bit moody with thunder and set in an old asylum. Audience members may enjoy a laugh or two along the way, but overall it’s a serious show and requires attention to detail to figure out exactly who and what and why.”

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, who created Sherlock Holmes, attempted to kill the fictional detective in “The Final Problem.” Holmes was killed in a fight with Moriarty when they fell into the Reichenbach Falls, but Holmes was resurrected by Doyle because of overwhelming public demand.

Dr. Evans played, by Charles Roberts, runs the asylum with the orderly played by Charlie Smith and the matron played by Lori Venable Clark. Dr. Watson, played by Danny Bayer, tries to deduce the real Sherlock, if he is still alive.

Greg Merritt plays Sherlock No. 1, Kem Bosma plays Sherlock No. 2 and Ike Eastwood is Sherlock No. 3. The woman with knowledge of Holmes is played by Julie Keller.

Dr. Watson, played by Danny Bayer, discusses the case of Sherlock Holmes with Dr. Evans, played by Charles Roberts, who runs the insane asylum where three men claim to be the famous sleuth missing and feared dead for three years in Jeffrey Hatcher’s “Holmes and Watson” that opens at 8 p.m. Friday at the Actors Guild of Parkersburg. (Photo by Jess Mancini)

Set in the old asylum, the effects by Technical Director Nathan Arnold bring the show to life and are a vital part of the production, Director Dixie Showalter said.

“The lights, the sounds, the mist, all of these things help create the atmosphere,” Showalter said. “It sets the stage for the story of mystery and intrigue that the actors will tell during performances.”

“Holmes & Watson” is rated AGP-13 and includes guns, gunshots, haze and fog, brief violence, murder and historic mental health care practices such as a straitjacket.

Danny Bayer as Dr. Watson explains the events at Reichenbach Falls where Sherlock Holmes and his evil nemesis Professor Moriarity supposedly fell in “Holmes and Watson,” a Sherlockian mystery opening at 8 p.m. Friday at the Actors Guild of Parkersburg. (Photo by Jess Mancini)

Dr. Watson, right, played by Danny Bayer, questions the patient Sherlock No. 1 played by Greg Merritt in “Holmes and Watson” at the Actors Guild of Parkersburg. The show opens at 8 p.m. Friday. (Photo by Jess Mancini)

From left, the orderly, played by Charlie Smith, breaks up an altercation between Sherlock No. 1 played by Greg Merritt and Dr. Watson, played by Danny Bayer, in the asylum run by Dr. Evans, played by Charles Roberts. “Holmes and Watson” opens at 8 p.m. Friday at the Actors Guild of Parkersburg. (Photo by Jess Mancini)

From left, Sherlock No. 2 played by Kem Bosma as Holmes is brought into a room by the orderly played by Charlie Smith and Dr. Evans played by Charles Roberts in “Holmes and Watson,” the latest production of the Actors Guild of Parkersburg opening at 8 p.m. Friday. (Photo by Jess Mancini)

A flashback of a mysterious stranger and the woman played by Julie Keller in “Holmes and Watson” opening at 8 p.m. Friday at the Actors Guild of Parkersburg. (Photo by Jess Mancini)

From left, the matron played by Lori Venable Clark tries to stop a fight between Sherlock No. 2 played by Kem Bosma and Sherlock No. 1 played by Greg Merritt in the asylum run by Dr. Evans played by Charles Roberts. “Holmes and Watson” will run six shows at the Actors Guild of Parkersburg where it opens at 8 p.m. Friday. (Photo by Jess Mancini)

From right, Dr. Evans played by Charles Roberts hypnotizes Sherlock No. 3 played by Ike Eastwood while Dr. Watson, played by Danny Bayer, looks on in a scene from “Holmes and Watson” that opens at 8 p.m. Friday at the Actors Guild of Parkersburg. (Photo by Jess Mancini)

Sherlock No. 2 played by Ike Eastwood while under hypnosis is confronted by Professor Moriarity at the Reichenbach Falls in “Holmes and Watson” opening at 8 p.m. Friday at the Actors Guild of Parkersburg. (Photo by Jess Mancini)