The Sherlock Holmes play took place on a cool, rainy Friday evening that added to the mysterious mood of the play. People of all ages filed into Stockton’s Performing Arts Center and took their seats among the rows. The quiet chatter amongst viewers stopped as the lights slowly dimmed and someone stood in the shadows playing the violin; the play was about to begin.

The first hint that this play would stray from the traditional Sherlock Holmes stories was that the infamous detective was played by a woman. Still sporting the usual garb of the character, she walked into the light and quietly talked with her partner, Dr. Watson. The first mystery was similar to its original manner of delivery, full of suspense and mystery, though this play wove in humor through its characters and use of props.

The second and the third mysteries captivated the audience like the first act and made them wonder how Sherlock Holmes would catch the villain. Though Sherlock Holmes was wrong in the second mystery and let the notorious Irene Adler get away in the next act, Holmes clearly demonstrated her experience as a detective and expressed her skill in deduction.

After the last act’s mention of Sherlock’s nemesis, Moriarty, the crowd was left to wonder about the cliffhanger. The five actors came onto the stage and took their bows as the viewers cheered and applauded their performance. The audience collected their items and went back into the rainstorm, their minds full of mystery and the infamous Sherlock Holmes.