January 28 - February 22, 2025
Written By: Kate Hamill
Shows: Tuesdays-Saturdays at 7:30pm
An irreverent, darkly comic, modern take on Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s famous sleuth and sidekick, this fast-paced romp re-examines the world’s most famous detective story with a bold new feminist lens. In this highly theatrical, small-cast escapade, oddball female roommates Sherlock (yes, it’s also a girl’s name—wait, is it a girl’s name? Is it even a name?) Holmes & Joan Watson join forces to emerge from pandemic fog as a deeply codependent, quasi-dysfunctional Odd Couple adventure duo—solving mysteries and kicking butts, until they come face to face with a villain who seems to have all of the answers.
Winner of the Off-Broadway Alliance Award
Cast: Susannah Wells, Mariah Woessner, Arthur Crocker, Morgan Fraga Pierson
Director: Mimi McDonald
Costumes by Sushi
Mariah Woessner and Susannah Wells | Photo by Roberta DePiero
MYSTERY ABOUNDS IN RED BARN’S “MS. HOLMES, MS. WATSON, APT.2B”
Everyone loves a good mystery. And who better to confound us with one than Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, who then sends his most famous detective, Sherlock Holmes, to unravel even the most convoluted of mysteries for us?
Ah, but there’s a hilarious rub in all of this! In the Red Barn Theatre’s latest offering of their 45th remarkable season – “Ms. Holmes, Ms. Watson, Apt. 2B”, running January 28 through February 22 – we are presented with a tale that cheerfully desecrates the stories of Conan Doyle in a most unusual and very funny way.
Because in Kate Hamill’s energetic play, the world’s most famous detective is a frazzled female police consultant whose dazzling deductions astound everyone. She takes on a new roommate – a wayward American who Holmes determines is running from a past where she used to be a doctor and needs a little help and refocusing. Portrayed as a deeply co-dependent, quasi-dysfunctional Odd Couple, this duo proceeds into a fast-paced and wildly entertaining romp through multiple violent crimes that all seem to lead to notorious villains.
The pair solve a variety of these crimes, from the murder of a man found in a motel to the case of a right-wing politician who cheated on his wife. It’s a blend of classic theater and modern comedy that balances mystery with laugh-out-loud humor, playfully dismantling and, at the same time, celebrating the conventions of Conan Doyle’s stories.
“We’re really having a good time,“ said director Mimi McDonald. “The intimacy of the Red Barn allows the audience to take the ride with the actors. At the heart of it is a real mystery, with twists and turns, and a few real surprises. We know the audience is going to have a ball solving the mystery right along with us.”
Susannah Wells, one of Key West’s best comedic actresses, stars as Ms. Sherlock Holmes, and Mariah Woessner is the perfect complement as Ms./Doctor Watson. Joining them and playing a number of unexpected and mysterious/villainous characters are Arthur Crocker and Morgan Fraga Pierson, both no slouches when it comes to comedic chops.
”One thing I’m sure everyone will love are the costumes,” said McDonald, who commissioned iconic Key West costumer Gary Marion – better known as Sushi – to create original costumes for the play. “They’re really something – a kind of apocalyptic theme and a warrior vibe, that adds another whole dimension to the story.”
Called “…laugh-out-loud funny, incredibly clever, inherently theatrical, and a delight from start to finish..” and “…sharp, playful, and moves at a rapid-fire pace…” by the Portland Monthly, “Ms. Holmes, Ms. Watson, Apt. 2B” is a great way to spend an evening deducting, finding clues, and solving mysteries. The game’s afoot!
Running January 28 through February 22. All curtains are at 7:30 pm. Tickets at keystix.com. For more information, call the Red Barn box office at 305-296-9911.
Sponsored in part by the William L. Monroe III Foundation, and the Monroe County Tourist Development Council.
