Holmes again with Liz Shipe in the Brumder Mansion

Liz Shipe's Sherlock Holmes trilogy comes to an end this Autumn as Sherlock Holmes and the Final Vow asserts itself in the basement of the Brumder Mansion Bed & Breakfast on West Wisconsin Avenue. Though the plot of the third part of the trilogy is tied-up pretty heavily in the events of the first two parts, Shipe's script does an excellent job of telling a thoroughly entertaining story that does not require previous experience with the prior two productions.

Max Hultquist returns as a charismatic Dr. Watson, this time on his wedding day. He is due to be married to a lovely woman played by Shipe. In the past she had been romantically linked with Holmes' nemesis Professor Moriarty. As the play opens, both Holmes and Moriarty have evidently died in events described in the script mirroring Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's The Adventure of the Final Problem. 

Of course, this wouldn't be a Holmes show without Holmes himself though. Sherlock does indeed show up with some rather clever bits of staging. And as this is the last of the trilogy, Moriarty himself can't be far behind. Michael Traynor and Matthew Ecclestone make a really nice pairing here. Protagonist and antagonist match each in the heart of a story that feels like a much more balanced ensemble piece than either of the previous entries in the series. 

As their performances are intimately tied up in a plot with many twists, it's difficult to talk about either of their performances without giving anything away. Suffice it to say there's depth and duplicity to both performance that ends up being a lot of fun to watch. Traynor has a rather nice and clever moment with a painting. He's a s charismatic as ever as a somewhat vain hero who is, of course, staggeringly clever. 

Ecclestone's Moriarty has grown quite a bit more psychologically bent than he was in the previous entry in the series, which means that he's more than just a sociopath here--he's a driven sociopath. And he's been driven into a place that's quite chaotic. Ecclestone does a clever job of keeping the portrayal from seeming flat and lifeless--always a challenge playing a homicidal villain. 

Hultquist plays a Dr. Watson who has been trying to gain his independence from Holmes only to find Holmes evidently pass away. So his imminent marriage is a bit bittersweet. If Shipe's trilogy has a straight ahead genuinely, non-hypocritically simon-pure good-guy hero, it's Watson. And even for those unfamiliar with the previous episodes in the series Hultquist does an excellent job of bringing across that feeling of guanine heroism--dressed in ceremonial military garb complete with rapier when we first see him, he instantly looks very much the leading man . . . and Hutlquist harnesses a very valiant stage presence here. It's a very good look on a character that has rarely looked good in the past.

Bryan Quinn's Inspector Lestrade has evolved into quite a fun character by the end of the series. Here we see a man who seems as though he could be quite an authority figure outside the realm of Holmes who seems to simply enjoy being an audience to him in whatever way he can. That Quinn can deliver a sense of authority taking a small bit of vacation in a sense at the arrival of Holmes is very sharp rendering indeed. 

Shipe herself plays the leading lady here . . . a woman so afraid of old ghosts coming back to haunt her that she's changed her name and public identity. She's having tremendous difficulty escaping the past as witnessed here, but it's not for lack of effort. Shipe's written a role that both allows her to stand around being shockingly pretty AND serve a central role in the plot that allows her to be very, very assertive and deliver considerable strength. 

Shipe has written a similar role for Amanda J. Hull, returning here as Irene Adler--an old best friend of the woman now known as Mary Morstan. Here we see Hull's sense of sultry comic potential delivered in a character that glides across the stage in a witty way that feels very Mae West in style and form. 

Gladys Rhodes Chmiel continues to be warm and caring in the role of Mrs. Hudson. She's there to greet you when you come through the door of the Burmder. Thankfully, Shipe's written a script that allows her some clever bits of prominence here. The character has taken on special significance in a series of plays set in 221B Baker Street. She only wants to have a nice get together--a pleasant party. Holmes' exploits always seem to get in the way. Chmiel has great maternal charm in the role. 

Tom Marks returns as Charles Stilton--a man fallen into the darker end of things thanks to getting mixed-up with Moriarty in the last show. Being an ex-convict, he's found it difficult to get solid employment and has had  to resort to getting involved in things a decent gentleman normally wouldn't. Shipe writes an ending for the character that wraps things up quite nicely for him as well.

On the whole, this is a deliciously well-balanced script. One might think with all the little bits of exposition and such that the show might drag even at 90 minutes with no intermission. Shipe's relentlessly fun as a writer. The dialogue has a smartly comic rhythm to it that really sparkles in the hands of an ensemble working together for the third time. 

I loved this show. It's a pity to see Shipe's trilogy come to an end. I'm just hoping that, in addition to various other projects, that she continues to stage her own scripts. It would be tragic to see such a beautifully fun literary voice shelved backstage in favor of acting. (Shipe's good onstage and off, but I think Milwaukee needs great original writing more than it needs great talent onstage right now. We've got so many great actors. We need more playwrights producing original work. That's my take on it anyway . . . ) 

Milwaukee Entertainment Group's production of Sherlock Holmes and the Final Vow runs through October 13th at the Brumder Mansion on 3046 West Wisconsin Avenue. For ticket reservations, visit Milwaukee Entertainment Group online.