Sherlock Holmes - The Adventure of the Blue Carbuncle follows Sherlock Holmes and his trusty assistant Dr. Watson, trying to uncover the case of a rare diamond known as the blue carbuncle.
One night the diamond goes missing, and it is up to Holmes and Watson to find out who stole the precious jewel. The jewel belonged to the Countess of Morcar and was stolen from her room at the Hotel Cosmopolitan. In the beginning, it is believed that John Horner stole the stone because he was doing work in her room. He is even arrested on the suspicion of theft.
The plot thickens when the audience later finds out the true culprit of the diamond stealing, a woman named Jane Ryder. The audience learns how Ryder stole the jewel and how she figured the best place to hide it was a goose. After scrutinous examination, Holmes and Watson decide to not turn Ryder in to the authorities. John Horner also gets let off the hook and is taken out of prison. The play ends happily with the respective members going on to live their normal lives.
The play was staged in the Meagher Theater on November 10th through November 13th. The cast was made up of a mix of current students and alumni. The main characters of the play were Sherlock Holmes played by John K. Baxter, Dr. Watson played by junior Matthew Glass and Jane Ryder played by freshman Catie Sands. Baxter was also the director of the show.
These three roles shined because of the three actors portraying them. Baxter, Glass, and Sands had great comedic timing, knew how to make things suspenseful, and looked comfortable and confident being on stage. These three characters had great chemistry and the scenes of the three of them together were always exciting. One can tell how dedicated Baxter, Glass, and Sands were to their roles as they put their whole selves into embodying their characters.
While these three roles are the main leads, every single member of the company was pivotal in telling the story. Every member of the cast brought something unique to the performance to make it memorable. One could also tell how hard the cast had been working through the fluid production. What makes this Neumann Theater group so special is that while the cast may be small, they are mighty. Every member is extremely talented and dedicated. One can tell how close this group is with each other and that is what makes the play exceptional. The cast is comfortable with one another and enjoy being on stage with each other.
The Neumann Players production of Sherlock Holmes- The Adventure of the Blue Carbuncle was far from elementary. The show included beautiful costumes, creative props, wonderful lighting, interesting sound effects and most importantly a talented cast and crew to bring these beloved characters to life. This play was full of humorous moments as well as moments of drama and suspense. There was truly something for everyone to enjoy! From the opening act to the final bow the play was a delight.
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The Neumann Community looks forward to the next Neumann Players production, Beauty and the Beast!
CAPTION: Matthew Glass, John Baxter, and Catie Sands starred in the fall play.