Hm. Fascinating, eh? The incomparable Sherlock Holmes relying on street-smart youngsters to ferret out facts, clues and evidence! But, indeed, the unparalleled detective did have such assistance roaming through the winding alleys of darkest London to bring to light what Mr. Holmes wanted to see. That resident of 221B Baker Street had the assistance of such young chaps called The Baker Street Irregulars. They wanted to help, but also to get him to cast his observant eyes on the fact that they were not as bad as everyone might have thought.
Now, a new play at The Rose Theater, Sherlock Holmes and the First Baker Street Irregular, in 75 uninterrupted minutes, dwells on that group and especially on their leader Wiggins, and how he became a regular part of Holmes’ endeavors. It world-premieres here, not in England. The cast: seven adults and, alternating, five youngsters.
Omaha’s Brian Guehring wrote it, based on, as you’d expect, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s tales. Specifically The League of Red Headed Gentlemen and The Adventure of the Blue Carbuncle. The playwright has come forth with major revelations before, having written many scripts for The Rose since 2000. His first dealt with an Inupiat girl lost on Alaskan tundra, Juliet of the Wolves. As for other legendary characters, there were Sacagawea: Discovering History in 2003 and Many Disguises of Robin Hood in 2009. Last year he also took on fairy-tales with The Grocer’s Goblin and The Little Mermaid.
Guehring is the Resident Playwright at the Rose and its Education Director. He’s also performed on stage there numerous times. He won the 2006 National Education Association’s Human and Civil Rights Award and had scripts produced, among others, by South Carolina Children’s Theater, A. D. Players in Houston, Apple Tree Theater for Young Audiences in Chicago, Barter Theater of Virginia and the Walnut Street Theater in Philadelphia..www.brianguehring.com
Like Sherlock, he’s investigated many twists and turns. And, my word, he certainly knows a great deal about how to unravel them.
Sherlock Holmes and the First Baker Street Irregular take the stage at The Rose Theater, 2001 Farnam St. Nov.6-22. Fri: 7 p.m. Sat: 2 & 5 p.m. Sun: 2 p.m. Tickets: $18. http://www.rosetheater.org