Mystery and comedy collide in latest Synchronicity laugh-fest

A PRE-Christmas treat mixing mystery with lashings of festive mischief will be served up by Golden Square-based community theatre company Synchronicity Performing Arts later this month.

The company has secured the rights to produce and perform off-Broadway hit A Sherlock Carol, written by New York playwright Mark Shanahan – a comedic tale which effortlessly combines the worlds of Arthur Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes and Dickens’ A Christmas Carol.

The two-act, two-hour play, directed by Wendy Collishaw, features just six actors playing 16 roles, led by Jamie B Morgan (Sherlock Holmes) and Iain Wilson (Ebenezer Scrooge).

The cast is rounded out by Russ Holdaway, his wife Angela, Wendy’s son Samuel and Emily Bibby (all of whom play three or more characters), plus bit-part player Craig Sheppard.

Addressing the clear family connections involved in the production, Ms Collishaw described amateur theatre as being “very nepotistic”.

“There’s families in it, there’s cousins and grandparents and everything else,” she said.

“For instance, this show has Russ and Ange, husband and wife.

“Backstage, we have their daughter, who’s been working with us for a few years now, and their son, little Russ – it’s his first play.

“They often help out front of house as well, so it’s an all-hands-on-deck company.

“We’ve also had Jamie’s kids help out front of house before.

“They’re very proud of their dad – this is his third or fourth role with us and his first lead.

“He’s doing a great job as a very conflicted Sherlock Holmes.

“I think he’s absolutely brilliant.”

Ms Collishaw described her small cast as “seriously superb actors”.

“They’re really good at changing their body mannerisms, changing their accents, whatever they need,” she said.

“Russ, for example, has natural accent ability because he’s from (the UK) originally, so he uses a broad accent for one character.

“He’s an absolute sleaze for another character – he changes his whole mannerisms.

“With Emily, it’s her first time with us and her ability to (swap) roles is meteoric – she’s phenomenal.”

As the premiere approaches, she said rehearsals will switch from six or seven hours a week to almost daily.

“In the final week it’s Thursday, Saturday, Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, day off, then four days straight in the theatre,” she said.

“Some people have taken time off work to do it – this is the cost of theatre, and I wish the Government would recognise the value of community arts in small companies.”

Ms Collishaw promised the play will appeal to effectively everybody.

“If you want a really good-fun show, it’s family-friendly in that there’s no sexiness or swearing or that sort of thing,” she said.

“It’s also a murder mystery, so it will entertain the adults.

“They can come and have a glass of wine, sit back, relax and have a really good night out.”

Synchronicity: A Sherlock Carol by Mark Shanahan plays out at the Engine Room in View Street from Thursday 20 November to Sunday 23 November and Thursday 27 November to Saturday 29 November.

Tickets can be purchased at Gotix.