Sherlock Holmes takes the stage this weekend in ongoing production

WARNER ROBINS, Ga. —Sherlock Holmes is an iconic character created by Arthur Conan Doyle. The character has appeared in several books, movies and on television, and now, he will appear on stage in Warner Robins.

Sherlock Holmes, played by Mike Handley, and Dr. John Watson, played by Francis Bleyer, will solve a mystery that takes them through time in “The Secret Case of Sherlock Holmes,” currently ongoing at The Warner Robins Little Theater.

In the distant past, Holmes and Watson are young detectives, tasked by H.G. Wells to find a missing manuscript by Arthur Conan Doyle.

Holmes and Watson meet with Wells, and discover he has a time machine. However, Holmes’ landlady has tracked them down to his place, looking for rent money. They hide in the time machine and are whisked away to the future, where the location is now a hospital for patients with delusions of grandeur.

Holmes and Watson meet a colorful array of characters who believe they are celebrities, from Elvis, to Marilyn Monroe, to Tarzan. Meanwhile, a murder mystery brews when a body is found at the facility.

Holmes and Watson must track down a missing manuscript, solve the murder, prove they are who they say they are, and get back in time for Doyle to pick up his writing.

Director Cathy Collins has done murder mystery before, in fact it’s a specialty. She also said the play is a comedic take on the genre.

“That’s my genre I like best. when I read that one, I had already done one, a Sherlock Holmes, about eight or 10 years ago and this one just sounded fun and energetic,” Collins said.

The only small hiccups during rehearsal were brief illnesses and minor injures. With a large cast of 18 actors total, the final play came together fantastically, according to Collins.

“There’s little hiccups sometimes but you could never know, seeing the final product. because they were really troopers and sincere about the part, and even though it’s volunteer, they still stepped up to the plate, and they have done a fantastic job,” Collins said.

The show opened on Oct. 14, and Collins reported a large turnout for each show, with energy to match the show’s production.

“Opening night, we probably had three available seats and it was awesome. The crowd was really active with it and laughing and getting most of the silly comments,” Collins said.

The show is also family friendly, and Collins reported engagement from young theater fans as well.

“There was a little girl that was about six-years old yesterday, at the matinee. She was totally mesmerized by Tarzan. As long as the kids love it, that’s great for me, because it kind of gives them a chance to get a little taste of live theater and maybe inspire them to act and be in some productions themselves,” Collins said.

With multiple chances to watch over the weekend, Collins invites the public to disconnect from the outside world and immerse themselves in an interactive and hilarious show.

“We have so much trouble in the world, and sometimes it’s good to go somewhere and especially with live theater you never know what might happen. The shows are always so wonderfully done and they love performing. You get to sit back and laugh and forget all the troubles in the world or at your home or any kind of thing like that, and just have a good time. To me it’s sort of like reading a book and you get so engrossed in it. But in this case, it’s live and you feel like you’re part of it. … And I think that’s what is the most exciting thing to me,” Collins said.

“The Secret Case of Sherlock Holmes” has upcoming showings Friday, Oct. 27 and Saturday, Oct. 28 at 7:30 p.m., with a matinee showing on Sunday, Oct. 29 at 2:30. The Warner Robins Little Theater is located at 502 South Pleasant Hill Road.

Tickets can be purchased at https://warnerrobinslittletheatre.ticketleap.com/ or by calling the box office at (478) 929-4579.

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