Watson rises in this comedic Sherlock Holmes tale

At Miners Alley, ‘Sherlock Holmes and the Adventure of the Elusive Ear’ breathes new life into an old property

It’s a mystery. It’s a romance. It’s a revenge tale. It’s … an art lesson?

It’s Sherlock Holmes and the Adventure of the Elusive Ear, playing through Nov. 10 at Miners Alley Performing Arts Center in a production neatly helmed by Heather Beasley.

In this breezy and comedic Sherlock Holmes tale, playwright David MacGregor takes liberties with the famous detective and puts him almost in the back seat as he zips up the Watson character and that of Holmes’ paramour Irene Adler. He also throws in some real characters like Vincent Van Gogh and Oscar Wilde along with Marie Chartier — the daughter of Holmes’ deceased adversary, Professor Moriarty

Far from another stodgy mystery with Holmes and Watson poking around dark alleys, this is a very funny romp set entirely in the Baker Street flat inhabited by the two men and Adler. From the get-go, we see this Watson is not content to be yes-man to Holmes, and the show kicks off with him giving a firm scolding about the group’s finances.

Chas Lederer is fantastic as this assertive, wisecracking Watson and Colleen Lee is a revelation as the fiercely independent, highly competent and patriarchy-resisting Adler.

As Holmes, Christian Ray Robinson is a delight, playing the character more like a pampered playboy than the famous detective. His penchant for fine brandy, cocaine and stylish clothes comes alongside an absence of juicy mysteries either funded by wealthy clients or interesting enough that Watson can sell the stories to London periodicals.

Thus the dire straits when a potential client shows up in the form of Vincent Van Gogh (John Wittbrodt). There’s enough mangling of the surname that it’s not entirely clear at first this is the Vincent Van Gogh — although the huge bandage over his ear is certainly a big clue. Wittbrodt leans into Van Gogh’s Dutch identity and presents a deeply troubled and confused man who’s nevertheless quite sure of his art’s worth and that of his roomie in Arles, Paul Gaugin.

When an apparent second client shows up (Chartier), Holmes & Co. think their troubles are solved, but it’s only the vengeful daughter ostensibly looking for payback after Holmes threw her dad over a waterfall.

Erika Mori has a wicked good time with this part — a sneering, formidable opponent whose beauty instantly transfixes Holmes and Watson. Fortunately, Adler is there to take on the villainess woman-to-woman leading to an ever-so-rare female sword fight.

While the penniless Van Gogh doesn’t have any cash to pay Holmes to look for his missing bit of ear, he does offer up a little painting he did called “Starry Night.” Watson thinks it’s a piece of shit and scoffs at the notion that it’s worth a penny. When Chartier absconds with it, they’re unconcerned and back to square one with no money and no clients that can pay.

(L-R) Colleen Lee, John Wittbrodt, Erika Mori, Ryan Omar Stack and Chistian Ray Robinson in the Miners Alley production of ‘The Adventure of Sherlock Holmes and the Elusive Ear’ | Photo: Sarah Roshan Photography

Say something witty, Wilde

Act Two opens with a new character Watson brings home with him. This is Oscar Wilde, played with droll precision by Ryan Omar Stack in his Miners Alley debut. A fixture in Colorado Shakespeare Festival shows and various other Colorado stages, Stack is a big plus to any cast, and here he’s clearly enjoying himself playing the famous Wilde.

Also having fun is Costume Designer Crystal McKenzie. Wilde is decked out in a red jacket with matching red cape while Holmes is impeccably turned out with robes, cravats and the like. Mori appears at first in an all-black costume and mourning veil that quickly converts to a stripped-down ensemble for Chartier’s sword fight with Adler. McKenzie puts Lee in different snug-fitting skirts and classy tops and ties that match the character exactly.

It’s all backed by a very busy set designed by Jonathan Scott-McKean that mirrors what we’d expect to be in a flat occupied by Sherlock Holmes: lots of books, curios, comfy chairs and sofas and the initials of the queen in bullet holes on the wall.

Beasley keeps the action brisk and well-choreographed while the personalities are nicely developed throughout. There were a few instances where characters were standing all the way downstage and facing away from the audience that gave me pause, but not enough to detract from an otherwise well-crafted production that breathes new life into the old Sherlock Holmes universe.

I was sorry to see that the script didn’t have more of a role for Oscar Wilde, leaving an actor of Stack’s caliber cooling his heels for the entire first act. The same was true in the second act, where Adler has much less to do — depriving us of Lee’s powerful depiction of such a strong female force.

But we do get a bit of an art lesson between Van Gogh and Wilde, and lots of witty and snappy dialogue that makes Elusive Ear a standout in this very busy fall season.