A HOLIDAY MYSTERY WITH
VICTORIAN MISCHIEF ON ITS MIND

Chesterton by way of Conan Doyle,
wrapped in Wodehouse-style tomfoolery

Arthur Conan Doyle wrote only one Christmas-themed Sherlock Holmes mystery, The Adventure of the Blue Carbuncle — coincidentally, the first Holmes story I ever read — which was adapted into a charming play by Michael Menendian and John Weagly. So what is one to do for a holiday-season encore? Turn to another Victorian writer of mysteries, of course, and somehow squeeze Holmes and Watson into the narrative.

G.K. Chesterton’s Father Brown mysteries provide the source material this time around, specifically “The Flying Stars,” which involves the purloining of three diamonds — the titular stars — on Boxing Day, during a house party in an old country manor in a small English village (natch!).

James Sparling, Adam Bitterman

Now onstage at City Lit Theater, John Weagly’s Sherlock Holmes and the Christmas Clowns is a straightforward adaptation of Chesterton, simply swapping out Father Brown for Holmes and Watson. Watson, as per the Doyle formula, pulls double duty as narrator, and as played by theatre stalwart Adam Bitterman, in his fourth go at the part, is a fine, witty storyteller, deploying his rich, sonorous voice and twinkling blue eyes to excellent effect. Also repeating is James Sparling as Sherlock Holmes — and a somewhat unusual Holmes at that. Sparling’s Holmes (also wonderful) is a nebbishy know-it-all, blithely unaware of social proprieties; think an older Sheldon Cooper with an English accent.

James Sparling

The diamonds in question are a Christmas present from a loving godmother. [Makes mental note to write to beloved godparent more often.]

The crime is their theft. The occasion is a traditional Christmas pantomime. The motive is… duh, they’re priceless diamonds.

But how were they stolen? Where have they gone? Why won’t the French contortionist in a copper’s uniform stop playing dead? And who might the mysterious Flambeau be?

Sophia Vitello, Mark Mendelsohn

The manor is filled with the usual suspects: the master of the house, Colonel Adams — Mark Mendelsohn, sporting a splendid accent (he even pulls off an “egad” with aplomb; not sure I’ve ever witnessed that before) — his nubile daughter, her socialist paramour, the Colonel’s sister-in-law, and the wealthy godmother in question. There’s also a chorus of servants who provide musical accompaniment in the form of Christmas carols, some modified to comment on the action and others performed straight. Even a bit of Gilbert and Sullivan pops up.

Betsy Pennington-Taylor, Sophia Vitello, Manny Sevilla

Two characters have been gender-swapped from the original story: the godmother and the sister-in-law. I mention this only to highlight the actors in those roles, because they are so damn good. Betsy Pennington-Taylor, as Lady Gabriela, could waltz right into a corset drama without blinking. And as Jemma Blount, Courtney Abbott — whom I keep thinking of as “Bernadette Peters II” (watch the show and you’ll see what I mean) — is just delightful.

Manny Sevilla, Courtney Abbott

Director Brian Pastor guides the cast with a sure hand and impeccable rhythm. The story is Chesterton’s, the hook is the Conan Doyle detective duo, but the vibe and energy are pure Wodehouse, with a touch of Jerome K. Jerome. This is not a bad thing at all. As a fan of all four writers — all with very different styles, mind you — I was tickled to no end by this mélange (or “mish-mash,” to use a non-snooty word). Pastor knows exactly what’s required, and the cast throws itself into the tomfoolery with abandon.

James Sparling, Betsy Pennington-Taylor,
Sophia Vitello, Maggie Cain, Alex George

Ultimately, it’s all about tone. Like most fanboys, I’d be unreasonably livid if the play hadn’t worked — four times as livid, in fact — but work it does, and very well at that. And at only an hour’s length, it doesn’t wear out its welcome. This is perfect light entertainment for holiday visitors. On Boxing Day, maybe?

And for his next Sherlock Holmes Christmas outing, since Doyle’s and Chesterton’s holiday texts have now been exhausted, might I suggest to Weagly The Adventure of the Christmas Pudding? It’s a delightful short mystery by a little-known British writer named Agatha Christie.

Happy holidays!

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photos by Steven Townsend, Distant Era

Sherlock Holmes and the Christmas Clowns
City Lit Theater
Edgewater Presbyterian Church, 1020 W. Bryn Mawr Ave.
60 minutes, no intermission
Fri and Sat at 7:30; Sun at 3
ends on January 4, 2026
for tickets ($28; City Lit subscribers $20; seniors $23; students / military $15),
call 773.293.3682 or visit City Lit

for more shows, visit Theatre in Chicago

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