“Sherlock Holmes - a detective-comedy in four acts”, Ferdinand Bonn, date unknown, Leipzig- Germany.
This is a comedic play about the famous detective. It was first shown on July 2nd 1906 in Bonn’s own theatre in Berlin. Mr. Bonn (1861 - 1933) was one of the first german speaking actors to portray Sherlock Holmes for a movie.
My granddad found this book on a flea marked and bought it for me, because he knows how much I love the Holmes canon and the Jeremy Brett series. What he didn’t know, was that we would all be in for a good laugh. I must admit, I haven’t had the time to read it yet, but hell, the list of characters was enough to get my hysteric with laughter. Holmes’ name is the same, and his sidekick, who is usually known as Dr. Watson is called Dr. Mors in this play. It’s a small change, but not very unusual, actually, just like the rest of the characters, who all have names like O’Brien, Taylor, Forbs, Wellburn and so on. However, there are two persons all the Holmesians out there know and love, but whose names have been changed as well.
First there is the Inspector. In Conan Doyles canon, they are called Lestrade, Hopkins, Banes and the like- but not in this play. No. The author decided to call the poor guy Inspector Smallweed. Well.
Then, there is Mrs. Hudson (that is her name in the original stories). She is Holmes’ landlady- a lovable, elderly woman who sometimes suffers under the mess her tenant makes, or the chemical experiments he conducts. Interestingly enough, Bonn thought it would be a good idea to call the good old woman Mrs. Chease.