Rain had been falling since the afternoon and I did not feel like leaving my place. I still went to the Arcola, mostly because the idea of two women taking on this famous pairing sounded fresh. The play comes from writer Kate Hamill, known for reshaping classic stories with a modern eye, and this one reaches into the world created by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Director Sean Turner brings it into present day London, placing the whole case inside a cramped flat that becomes the centre of every twist. With a running time of around two hours and forty minutes, the evening asks for patience.

The opening scenes set the tone. A cluttered living room. Hidden spaces. A bathtub sliding out from a drawer. The design by Max Dorey has charm and invites you to look closely at each object. Sara Perks’ costumes feel lived in, with touches that hint at the past and the present meeting in quiet ways. The visual world of the show is one of its strongest qualities.

“Law-breakers have no imagination anymore.” — Holmes

Then the characters arrive.
Holmes steps in first. Lucy Farrett plays her with sharp movements and a fixed grimace. At the start it feels bold, almost mischievous, but soon the expression settles and stays there. Wide eyes, tight face, restless energy. The humour that should lift these choices does not appear. Scenes set up for jokes do not quite land, and only a few moments come close to a smile.

Simona Brown enters as Joan Watson with a very different presence. Warm. Honest. Measured. She feels like someone who could hold a story together. Her reaction lines land with more ease, and she brings a gentle rhythm that helps whenever the piece starts to scatter. Watching both performers side by side makes the contrast clear. One pushes the theatrical force to its limit. The other offers a calm, natural energy that fits the room.

“I am not some experiment and I’m not your problem to solve.” — Watson

Alice Lucy shifts between Mrs Hudson, Mrs Drebber and Irene Adler. As Adler she is the most engaging. These scenes create the rare moments when the evening lifts. Her timing and focus bring a steady pulse that the show often lacks. Her performance becomes one of the more consistent elements.

The structure grows crowded very quickly. Lestrade, Elliot Monk and Moriarty are all played by Tendai Humphrey Sitima. The shifts between these characters blur until you lose track of who is speaking. New cases appear before the previous ones settle. A few scenes feel placed for effect rather than story. A short fourth wall introduction at the start hints at a playful approach, but the show moves away from that tone and never returns to it. The pace speeds up and stretches at the same time, which makes the length feel heavier.

There are small moments that work. A quick glance. A quiet reaction. A simple line that feels true. These moments show what the production could reach with a clearer structure. The comedy needs stronger timing and sharper writing so the audience can enjoy the silliness rather than wait for it.

The staging remains smooth. Transitions move cleanly from room to room. It is clear that the cast rehearsed with care. Sean Turner guides the scenes with steady focus, keeping the movement fluid even when the tone slips or the humour falls away.

By the end I did feel drawn into this imagined world at times, mostly because the core idea still has strength. A modern Holmes and Watson, both women, navigating their own pasts, still feels like something worth exploring. This production touches that idea but never settles into it.

Running at the Arcola Theatre until 20 December.

Tickets can be purchased here.