Aquila Theatre’s The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes A Study Guide to Aquila Theatre’s Production of stories written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle 2015-16 Synopsis Act I: The Adventure of the Copper Beeches Dr. Watson meets with his friend and colleague, the well-known Detective, Sherlock Holmes, at 221B Baker Street and receives a playful lesson in the art of deduction. Sherlock Holmes and Watson invite Violet Hunter, a young woman who came to them for help, to speak about her unsettling job as a governess at The Copper Beeches. Violet Hunter tells them of Mr. Rucastle, the man who offered her a high paying job as a governess, but asked her to do odd things, such as cutting her hair, which she refused. Violet Hunter seems convinced that Mr. Rucastle’s wife is insane, and that is why he insists on making usual demands. Sherlock is unconvinced however, and needs more hard facts. As such, Sherlock suggests she return to work and that Violet send him a telegram should she need him. Shortly after, Violet sends for Sherlock and Watson, and they board a morning train to meet Violet at the Black Swann Inn. Violet recounts her experience of meeting the family and starting her work for the Rucastles. Violet goes into great detail, including a mysterious “performance” where Mr. Rucastle would place a blue dress on her and have her laugh and read from Robert Louis Stevenson in front of a window. One day, Violet sneaks a hand mirror to look out of the window and briefly sees a young man standing outside. Mr. Rucastle brings Violet away from the window and introduces her to the family dog—a bloodthirsty mastiff. Later that night, Violet peeks into a door that has been locked where she is discovered by Mr. Rucastle who threatens to throw her to the dog should she enter the room again. After hearing Violet recount her story, Sherlock Holmes springs into action. It seems that there is some danger afoot! Sherlock and Watson race to the Copper Beeches with Violet Hunter. Will they arrive in time to solve the crime? Act II: The Adventure of the Yellow Face Sherlock Holmes, badly in need of another case, arrives back at Baker Street to find that a troubled young man has just left. Sherlock examines the pipe which the man left behind, and deduces some interesting information. Grant Munro, the man in question, returns to meet with Sherlock and Watson and tells them of his concerns regarding his wife of three years, Effie Munro. Before their marriage, Effie had lived in Atlanta where she was married to a lawyer named Mr. Hebron. Yellow fever broke out, and Mr. Hebron and their child died. Effie left America and returned to England, where she lived comfortably on what her husband had left her. When Effie and Grant got married, she insisted that Grant take control of her money. Recently, Effie asked Grant for 100 pounds. Seeing as it was her money, Grant obliged, but she would not tell him what it was for. Then, as Grant was walking by a cottage near their home, he noticed that there were new tenants and saw a face watching him from one of the windows. Grant went to approach the cottage and was stopped by a gruff older woman who slammed the door in his face. Later that evening, Effie got up from bed and snuck out into the night. Grant confronted her upon her return and she responded that she needed fresh air. Things grew tense between them and, on the following day, Grant spotted his wife leaving the cottage! When Grant again confronted Effie, she implored him to trust her and that, should he force his way into the cottage, things would be over between them. Grant makes Effie promise to not go into the cottage again. Shortly thereafter, when Grant arrived home early from town, Grant believed his wife to be again in the cottage and forced his way inside. The cottage was deserted. However, Grant found a large photograph of Effie that he had commissioned three months prior in the window where he had earlier seen the face watching him. After hearing the tale, Sherlock and Watson formulate a theory. Will their hypothesis be correct? ACT III: A Scandal in Bohemia Sherlock receives a golden snuffbox and letter from the King of Bohemia in the hopes that Sherlock might take on his case. Sherlock and Watson examine the letter from the King and deduce that this case will be high profile. Immediately afterwards, Count Von Kramm, the masked envoy to the King of Bohemia, appears at the door and swears Sherlock and Watson to secrecy before telling them of the case. Sherlock, who sees through the disguise of Count Von Kramm, reveals him to be the King of Bohemia himself! The King had a recent tryst with Irene Adler, an American opera singer turned adventuress, and now –as he prepares to marry the second daughter of the King of Scandinavia—Irene is threatening to send his bride-to-be a picture of Irene and the King of Bohemia in a compromising position. Sherlock takes the case and a sizeable down payment from the King, and begins observing Irene Adler in town. Amongst Sherlock’s many keen observations is Irene’s involvement with a young lawyer named Godfrey Norton. As Sherlock pursues Irene and Norton, the detective finds herself standing as a witness at Irene and Godfrey’s wedding. Once married, the couple parts ways. Sherlock devises a plan to see if Irene truly has the compromising picture stashed somewhere. If Irene Adler is married to Godfrey Norton, then perhaps she doesn’t want the picture to see the light of day either! Will Sherlock’s plan to find the picture work? Will he be able to fool the American adventuress? Cast of Characters She rloc k Ho lmes – A world-famous Detective who lives and works out of London alongside Dr. John Watson D r. J oh n W atso n – A Doctor who accompanies Sherlock Holmes on his cases as a colleague and close personal friend Vio let Hun ter—A young woman seeking Sherlock’s advice about Mr. Rucastle, her suspicious employer Mr s. Sto pper—An older woman who works in an employment office and introduced Violet Hunter to Mr. Rucastle Mr . Ruca stle—A wealthy Englishman and father who hires Violet Turner as a governess, he is guarding a terrible secret Mr s. Ruc astle—Mr. Rucastle’s wife. She is quiet, stern, and the mother of one precocious young boy Mr . To ller—Mr. Rucastle’s butler. He is married to Mrs. Toller and is the only one who can manage Mr. Rucastle’s dog, Carlo. Gr a nt Mu nr o—An emotional, wealthy young Englishman seeking Sherlock’s advice about his wife Effie Munro Effie M un ro —The wife of Grant Munro, faithfully married to him for three years, but she is hiding something from her past • • • • • • • • • • Born in Edinburgh, Scotland. Was often bullied in school and found escape in storytelling. Attended University of Edinburgh for medicine. Met his mentor, Professor Joseph Bell, whose keen powers of observation likely were the inspiration for the character, Sherlock Holmes. A prominent spiritualist— he left the Roman Catholic Church in 1881. Introduced the character Sherlock Holmes in a Study in Scarlet (1886). Struggled to balance his medical and writing careers. Eventually gave up his medical practice. Wrote 60 stories involving Sherlock. Wrote The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes in 1892. Knighted by King Edward VII in 1902. STOP AND THINK: Take a moment to think of all the mystery stories that you’ve read. What about the stories do you enjoy? Now think about mysteries you have seen on the screen or on the stage. How does reading a mystery differ from watching a mystery like The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes? Write a list of qualities that you think every good mystery story should have. What qualities are most important? A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE MYSTERY ! While!Sir!Arthur!Conan!Doyle!was!hardly!the!first!to!pen!successful! mystery!stories,!his!Sherlock!Holmes!mysteries!catapulted!the!genre!to! international!prominence.!! ! 148$A.D.$$–$Cicero,!Consul!of!Rome,!delivers!impassioned!speeches!to!his!people! of!high!profile!crimes!and!entertaining!news.!He!generated!buzz!about!crime!and! mysteries!in!a!world!that!was!still!largely!illiterate.!! 1841$–Edgar$Allan$Poe,!famous!for!writing!such!stories!as!“The!TellDTale!Heart”! and!“The!Pit!and!the!Pendulum,”!writes!“The!Murders!in!the!Rue!Morgue.”!This! features!Auguste!C.!Dupin,!known!for!being!the!first!fictional!Detective.!! 1890$–Sir$Arthur$Conan$Doyle,!who!had!introduced!Sherlock!Holmes!in!“A!Study! in!Scarlet”!three!years!prior,!introduces!his!character!to!mass!audiences!in!Strand!Magazine.! Sherlock!Holmes!quickly!becomes!one!of!the!most!beloved!fictional!characters!in!all!of!literature,! appearing!in!60!detective!mysteries.! 1910$and$1914$–$The!first!true!mystery!films!are!released,!The$Gold$Bug!(1910)!and! The$Murders$in$the$Rue$Morgue!(1914),!starting!an!international!love!of!the!genre.!! Both!films!come!from!Edgar!Allan!Poe!stories.! 1920$–Agatha$Christie!publishes!“The!Mysterious!Affair!at!Styles”!which! introduces!the!character!of!Hercule!Poirot,!a!retired!Belgian!police!officer!and! private!investigator.!! 1930!–Edward$Stratemeyer!introduces!the!character!Nancy!Drew.!His!company! creates!over!350!Nancy!Drew!mysteries,!using!various!authors!all!using!the! pseudonym!Carolyn!Keene.!The!company!also!created!The!Hardy!Boys.! 1933$–Erie$Stanley$Gardner!creates!the!character!of!Perry!Mason,!a!fearless!lawyer! and!champion!of!the!good,!in!“The!Case!of!the!Velvet!Claws”!after!his!own! longstanding!career!as!a!lawyer.!! 1939$–$Batman!debuts!in!The$Case$of$the$Chemical$Syndicate,!introducing!the! Mystery!to!a!whole!new!audience.! 1944$–$Anthony!Pratt!invents!the!game!Murder!,!designed!to!occupy!people!in! bomb!shelters!during!war!time.!!The!game!is!launched!by!Hasbro!in!1949!as!Cluedo! in!Europe,!and!“the!great!new!detective!game”!Clue$in!North!America,! introducing!the!world!to!Colonel!Mustard,!and!leading!to!a!staged!play,!tv!series,! and!many!spin!off!games.$! F EMALE ! ! It!all!begins!with!the!pesky!stairs!leading!up!to!the!legendary!! Sherlock!residence,!221B!Baker!Street.!!In!The!Adventure!of!! the!Copper!Beaches,!Sherlock!tries!to!explain!his!method!! of!observation:! WATSON: . . at each successive instance of your reasoning I am baffled until you explain your process. And yet I believe that my eyes are as good as yours. SHERLOCK: Quite so. You see, but you do not observe. The distinction is clear. For example, you have frequently seen the steps, which lead up from the hall to this room. WATSON: Frequently. SHERLOCK: How often? WATSON: Well, some hundreds of times. SHERLOCK: Then how many are there? WATSON: How many? I don't know. SHERLOCK: Quite so! You have not observed. And yet you have seen. What!do!you!think!Sherlock!means!by!Observing,!rather!than!simply!Seeing.!!What!insight!does!this!give!to! the!workings!of!Sherlock’s!mind?!!How!does!logical!reasoning!fit!into!observing?!!How!might!the!detective’s! methods!of!observing!things!differ!from!ours?!!What!do!you!think!Sherlock!would!have!to!say!about!our!age! of!cell!phones!and!digital!distractions? VOCABULARY ‘GO INTO HARNESS’ – prepare for hard work DEDUCE SNUFF – to arrive at a conclusion by logical reasoning – fine ground tobacco powder GOVERNESS – a woman employed to teach children in a private household – the state of being appropriate PROPRIETY RECOMPENSE – to make amends to someone for loss or effort; compensate PHILANTHROPIST - - exemption from punishment IMPUNITY CONJECTURE - an opinion formed on the basis of incomplete information – lacking good manners or refinement UNCOUTH IMPERTINENT CONVERSE not showing proper respect – ment CIRCUMSPECT – INCOGNITO – wary and unwilling to take risks an assumed or false identity – rude in a mean spirited way CHURLISH PROVISIONAL – arranged for the present, possibly to be changed later INVALID - a person made weak or disabled by illness or injury SURMISE – a supposition that something may be true, even without evidence to confirm it PRESENTIMENT OUTRÉ – an intuitive feeling about the future – unusual and startling TEETOTALER – a person who never drinks alcohol BOHEMIA – a kingdom in Eastern Europe, in modern day Czech Republic AUGUST – respected and impressive CARTE BLANCHE SPINSTER – complete freedom to act as one wishes or thinks best – an unmarried woman DISCUSSION QUESTIONS: 1) Think about the Mystery Genre and survey your class. How many find that they enjoy Mysteries? Is there a difference in how much they enjoy reading vs viewing vs playing mystery themed games? Brainstorm a list of what makes a Mystery enjoyable. 2) The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes takes place in the late 19th Century, what are some big changes that you think would be made if it were set today? What would stay the same? 3) Sherlock is unnaturally talented at spotting minor details when putting together the pieces of a crime. Take a look around you in the room. What minor details can you point out? What do they tell you about the room that you're in? How much does our culture value noticing small details vs keeping our eyes on the big picture? Do you think it’s difficult to do both? 4) Literature and film abound with dynamic duos and buddies, from Tom Sawyer and Huck Finn to Ernie and Bert to Batman and Robin. Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson are another example of such a duo. In what ways are they an effective crime solving team. What are some examples of ways in which Watson helps Sherlock? In what ways does Sherlock help Watson? Do you consider them to be friends? How is their relationship shown in more recent film and television adaptations of the Sherlock stories? 5) In what ways does a female actor playing Sherlock Holmes change the character? In what ways is Sherlock Holmes still the same? After seeing the performance, do you agree that a woman can play this famous role as effectively as a man? Explain your point of view with specific references to the play. Photos top to bottow: Sherlock Holmes (as played by Basil Rathbone). Photograph: Allstar/Cinetext, Sherlock Holmes (as played by Robert Downey Jr.) +' ' + + '' About ' + + including off-Broadway in New York City and at international festivals. The Aquila Theatre Company w as founded in London in 1991 by Peter Meineck and has been based in New York City since 1999. Aquila presents a regular season of plays in New York, at international festivals and tours to approximately seventy American tow ns and cities a year. The name “Aquila” means “eagle” in Latin. Aquila has a very particular mission to make classical theatre accessible and relevant to everyone. Peter Meineck manages to modernize plays w hile keeping true to the spirit of the original text. Encounters w ith w orks of art can change people, causing them to view the artw ork and the w orld in a new w ay. In addition, artw orks do not immediately reveal all that is there to be seen. Perception of artw orks can be compared to peeling the layers of an onion – they can be seen on many levels and from many perspectives. + MACBETH' 1996' CATCH%22' 2007$2008' CORIOLANUS' 1994$1995' ILIAD:'BOOK'I' 2008$2009' KING'LEAR' 1999$2000' AS'YOU'LIKE'IT' 2009$2010' THE'TEMPEST' 2001$2002' A'MIDSUMMER'NIGHT’S' DREAM' 2010$2011' A 'MIDSUMMER'NIGHT’S'DREAM' 2003' THE'MAN'WHO'WOULD'BE'KING' 2003$2004' THE'INVISIBLE'MAN' 2005' HAMLET' 2005$2006+ M UCH'ADO'ABOUT' NOTHING' 2006+ ROMEO'&'JULIET' 2006$2007' ' + + Aquila has performed in over 47 states, MACBETH'/'THE'IMPORTANCE'OF' BEING'EARNEST' 2011$2012' TAMING'OF'THE'SHREW'/' CYRANO'DE'B ERGERAC' 2012$2013' TWELFTH'NIGHT/' FAHRENHEIT'451' 2013$2014' THE'TEMPEST/'WUTHERING' HEIGHTS' 2014$2015' + THE'WHITE'HOUSE' THE'SUPREME'COURT' FOLGER'SHAKESPEARE'LIBRARY,'WASHINGTON'DC' LA'JOLLA'PLAYHOUSE' SHAKESPEARE'FESTIVAL/LA' BROOKLYN'ACADEMY'OF'MUSIC' NYU'SKIRBALL'CENTER' LUCILLE'LORTEL'THEATRE' BARUCH'PERFORMING'ARTS'CENTER' NEW'VICTORY'THEATER' EAST'13TH'STREET'THEATRE' CLURMAN'THEATRE,'THEATRE'ROW' 45'BLEECKER' MANHATTAN'ENSEMBLE'THEATRE' CLARK'STUDIO'THEATRE'AT'LINCOLN'CENTER' SHAKESPEARE'FESTIVAL'IN'GLOBE'NEUSS,'GERMANY' EDINBURGH'FESTIVAL,'UK' FESTIVAL'OF'THE'AEGEAN,'GREECE' THE'BERMUDA'FESTIVAL' SHAKESPEARE'FESTIVAL,'GYULA,'HUNGARY' SHAKESPEARE'FESTIVAL'IN'GDANSK,'POLAND+ ' The Aquila Theatre Company 100 Washington Sq. 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