Sherlock Holmes Follows Fantasticks at Duchess

Following the early closure of The Fantasticks on Saturday (26 June 2010), the Duchess Theatre will find itself home to a certain pipe-smoking detective, with Peter Egan and Robert Daws leading the cast in The Secret of Sherlock Holmes, which opens on 20 July 2010.

Adapted by Jeremy Paul and directed by Robin Herford (The Woman in Black), the play toured nationally earlier this year. According to the Daily Mail, “producers Richard Temple and Ian Fricker swiftly arranged for it to come into town when managers at the Duchess realised The Fantasticks was in trouble.”

According to press material, The Secret of Sherlock Holmes “takes us on a thrilling journey into the mind of the greatest detective of all time. Following a seemingly deadly encounter with his nemesis, arch criminal Professor Moriarty, at Reichenbach Falls, secrets and betrayal are slowly revealed. Watson finds his loyalty and friendship tested to the very limit. Holmes is forced to turn his unswerving powers of deduction upon himself and the true relationship between Holmes and Moriarty is finally revealed.”

Peter Egan (Sherlock Holmes) is best known for the TV comedy Ever Decreasing Circles in which he starred alongside Richard Briers. More recently, he was seen on stage in the West End in Art and Noises Off and on tour in the classic Coward comedy A Song at Twilight.

Robert Daws (Dr Watson) has appeared in numerous TV dramas including Jeeves and Wooster, Outside Edge and The Royal. His recent stage credits include starring opposite Nigel Harman in Public Property at Trafalgar Studios 2.

The Secret of Sherlock Holmes and was first staged in the West End in 1988, with Jeremy Brett and Edward Hardwicke reprising their roles as Holmes and Watson from the popular TV series The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes.