Sherlock Holmes: The Last Act

In 1916, the famous-but-now-retired detective resurfaces to attend the funeral of his friend, Watson, returning to Baker Street to resolve ‘the last act’.

Nigel Miles-Thomas is Sherlock, every English enunciation defining Holmes’ precision and emotionless deduction – until he admits he misses things; misses people; he misses his friend Watson! These cracks in his armour are small, yet significant, and Miles-Thomas has the nuance to show them without radically changing the established character.

In the dusty rooms once inhabited by Holmes and Watson, and unable to give up the digs even after his partner moved out and he’s retired, we’re taken on a journey where everything is exactly where he left it. Including the bullet holes in the wall that he put there when he was bored one day.

He’s also not afraid to remind us of the darker side of Sherlock – his drug habit. He takes the needle whilst relating another memory – just another day for him, even if it’s a shocking reminder for the audience.

Miles-Thomas also plays every other character in this one-man show – their accents and physicality distinct from that the great detective, and it makes for convincing conversation.

Written authentically by Holmes-expert David Stuart Davies, it’s a fabulously detailed character study of the man in his later years. Besides his new-found ability to talk about his emotions when it comes to his late partner, there’s not much new in the narrative; it’s mostly recalled memories, and it’s not going to challenge your perception of the man. Yet it’s still captivating to listen to the retired detective reminisce about old times, and complain about the titles Watson gave to his writing about their antics.  

Review by Mark Wickett

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