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Murder, mystery & Moriarity in Eastpointe

Sherlock Holmes, Prof. Moriarity and friends come together for a unique dinner at Broadway Onstage in Eastpointe. Photo: Dennis Wickline Productions, Inc.

A decades-long battle of wits between two of the most brilliant minds in 19th century England is temporarily halted when the evil Professor Moriarity signals his intention to retire from his life of crime. So a truce is arranged with his nemesis Sherlock Holmes to work out the details. But when familiar comrades begin dropping like flies – and the notorious villain is seemingly innocent – who will the great detective call upon for assistance in solving their apparent murders?
The audience, of course, which in Dennis Wickline's "Sherlock Holmes is Coming to Dinner" at Broadway Onstage in Eastpointe plays two groups of observers – Moriarity's henchmen and Holmes' Baker Street Irregulars – who are called together for this extraordinary meeting. It's a (thankfully) sparingly used "hook" to this enjoyable night of "whodunit" at the theater – but it does present a challenge for theater critics who don't want to spoil the fun by giving too much away to potentially interested theatergoers!
So all I'll say about the plot is this: There are more surprising twists and turns to the story than you'll anticipate – right up to the final revelation that closes the show.
To be honest, I'm not a fan of audience-participatory murder-mysteries since most are terribly hokey – and the only mystery is why customers keep flocking to them. But Wickline has crafted a delightful script that plays homage to Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's beloved detective AND toys with his eccentricities. The result, then, is a carefully plotted (yet thoroughly improbable) mystery that – like pretty much every Holmes story ever written – only the eagle-eyed detective can solve. ("But you didn't see…" or a statement close to that becomes a familiar line throughout the show. And trust me: He's generally correct about that, which is part of the show's charm!)
Also enjoyable are the performers, most of whom have authentic-sounding British accents – which they maintain throughout the night. Most engaging is John Arden McClure as Holmes, who fully understands and captures both the seriousness and the silliness Wickline built into the character. As Holmes' housekeeper Mrs. Hudson, Elizabeth Rager looks and sounds like every Disney stereotype of such roles (except for the "drinky-winky" part, of course). And stand-up comic Samantha White is perfectly serious as Lady Anne Bliss, Moriarity's assistant.
There was noticeable line stumbling by a couple of the actors on opening night, which occasionally slowed the pace and stopped the conversation in its tracks. But more time with their scripts should erase that problem. And one particular costume choice foretold the night's final not-so-shocking secret – a debate about which loudly took place at the start of the second act between two patrons seated in the front row. The revelation certainly didn't surprise one of them! Nor me.

REVIEW:
'Sherlock Holmes is Coming to Dinner'
Dennis Wickline Productions, Inc. at Broadway Onstage Live Theatre, 21517 Kelly Rd., Eastpointe. Friday-Saturday through Nov. 20. $16. 586-771-6333. http://www.broadwayonstage.com

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