Review: SHERLOCK HOLMES: THE VALLEY OF FEAR at Southwark Playhouse (Borough)

Photo credit: Simon Vail


Date: 5th April 2024 

Seat: B23 (Large)

Tickets: Gifted

Rating: 3 Stars

Sherlock Holmes is a well-loved and well-known character, and adapting one of his stories for the stage is potentially a thankless task – there will always be fans who find fault. However, there will also always be fans who are happy that their hero has yet another life, and when the adaptation is done well, it can be a true joy to see Holmes, Watson, Mrs Hudson, and the rest of the gang brought to life in front of your eyes. 

Blackeyed Theatre has done well with this adaptation by Nick Lane, and Sherlock Holmes: The Valley of Fear is a fun murder mystery story that allows the audience to investigate along with the titular detective to come to a conclusion that, if not altogether shocking, still offers enough of a twist to entertain. 

There are 20 characters in the story from beginning to end and only five performers, and although that could make things confusing – especially when you consider the story jumps back and forth in time (and countries) throughout – the cast has a range of costumes, accents, and mannerisms in place to help the audience differentiate between them all. It’s this skill that makes all the difference, and although it’s a necessity, it’s one that actually helps to bring the story together. 

Another necessity is the small set, which consists of a couple of tables, some chairs, and a few orange crates. These items are moved around here and there by the cast (in the first act they do this while singing, but that idea disappears as time goes on, which is something of a shame) and it becomes a performance in its own right. 


Photo credit: Simon Vail


Joseph Derrington plays Dr Watson (amongst others) – he talks directly to the audience, often with a rather exasperated tone and a knowing wink, filling us in on all the details and helping us reach the inevitable conclusion. Watson’s exasperation generally has to do with Holmes, played by Bobby Bradley. It’s hard to make Holmes your own when there are so many star players who’ve taken up the deerstalker (which doesn’t make an appearance in this story), but this Holmes definitely has something unique about him – he’s a lot more innocent and wide-eyed than many others, he’s a little less confident and arrogant than we’ve seen before, and that makes him all the better – this is a Holmes you can actually like. 

Rounding out the cast are Blake Kubena, Gavin Molloy, and Alice Osmanski, who play a wide range of characters each, ranging from comedic (Alice Osmanski’s housekeeper, Mrs Allen, was delightful) to terrifying (Gavin Molloy’s Bodymaster McGinty looked as though he was ready to explode with violent rage at any moment) to charming (Blake Kubena’s Jack McMurdo had a wonderfully self-assured swagger about him). Together, they create a narrative that blends a potentially confusing story into a seamless and entertaining narrative with a good few red herrings thrown in just for fun. 

If you’re looking for a traditional story told in a traditional way, Sherlock Holmes: The Valley of Fear fits the bill perfectly. It plays at Southwark Playhouse Borough until 13th April 2024. Tickets are available here: https://southwarkplayhouse.co.uk/productions/sherlock-holmes-the-valley-of-fear/

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