Gender-bending Detectives

The beloved literary sleuth, originally brought to life by British author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, gets a darkly comic and contemporary twist at Stages with Ms. Holmes and Ms. Watson – Apt. 2B. In this murder mystery filled with hijinks, intrigue, and plenty of laughs, Ms. Holmes and her oddball roommate, Dr. Joan Watson, find themselves emerging from the COVID-19 pandemic and entangled with a villain.

Local artist Rose Morrigan is stepping into the role of Ms. Sherlock Holmes. “I think it’s a really lovely balance,” Morrigan, who studied acting and directing at Sam Houston State University, says in regard to what fans of the famous fictional detective may expect to see. “Our director, Hannah Meade, made it clear that we’re not necessarily pulling from any of the old stories. This is very much Sherlock in the 21st century.”

The actor is making her Houston theater stage debut in this production, and has found joy in bringing her character into the present. “The fun conceit of the play is taking someone like Sherlock Holmes and placing them in 2024. How would someone in our everyday life react to that person—someone who is at that level of almost machine-like functioning and who completely rejects any kind of technology?”

Perhaps the most obvious difference from previous interpretations of Holmes and Watson is the characters’ gender swap. “This show really doesn’t focus explicitly on gender. Holmes and Watson meet, bond, and solve mysteries together,” Morrigan explains. “Male characters [in the show] uplift Holmes’ genius, while simultaneously constantly undermining and underestimating her. I think it’s a lovely detail of how often things are called into question when you’re a woman.”

Being interpreted as different or outside the norm is an experience Morrigan shares with her character. “There’s this beautiful detail with Sherlock being antisocial and so different from everybody else. With my experiences as a trans woman, I know that there’s this otherness people feel when they meet you—they’ve already got you in this neat little box,” she explains. “I think that’s something I can relate to with Sherlock. She enjoys showing people that those boxes are not what they expected.”

Physical comedy is utilized throughout the play, and is a familiar muscle that Morrigan flexes with precision. “I’ve mostly performed in physical comedies. I think a lesson I’ve learned as an actor over the years is that while everything on stage looks chaotic and crazy, the best way [to execute these scenes] is with detail and safety,” she says. “There are multiple fight scenes in this show, and we do something called ‘fight call’ before every single show. We run through scenes at different speeds, constantly checking in with our fellow performers. That way, if the scene’s super-neat, you can throw on this cloak of chaos instead of doing something messy and unreadable. There’s a lot of time, precision, and teamwork that goes into physical comedy.”

Comedy may be a cornerstone of this production, but Morrigan explains that there is also a fair share of tenderness that makes it particularly special. “My heart of the show is Heather Hall—my Miss Watson. Having someone onstage that is so grounding like her removes any need of having to think about what my character needs” she says. “The heart of the show is different people meeting each other where they’re at—whether it’s a very quiet, reserved and contemplative space, or in a wild raging-against-the-world space. Two people recognizing the parts that they see in each other, accepting them, and finding love for people that are different from themselves is a very big part of this show.”

Ms. Holmes and Ms. Watson takes place in the round at Stages, a format that offers the performers room to play and subtly engage with theatergoers. “We’re inviting audiences to recognize that they’re watching a play. There’s quite literally a moment where we reference that it’s a small cash show with a post-pandemic budget,” Morrigan declares. “We’re kind of looking over our shoulder, winking, and asking them to play with us.”

Morrigan invites Houston audiences to step into the whimsical world she and the creative team have dreamed up. “There’s this great moment near the end of all mysteries where you feel like you’re in that dark room with the characters, planning and making connections. Playwright Kate Hamill has constructed a wonderfully complex Rube Goldberg machine,” she says. “I want people to come along for the ride and feel like they got to be a part of solving a mystery. And if we have anyone that attends for a second time, I think they’ll get so much joy in seeing all of the hints that have been laid out throughout the show that they didn’t identify the first time.”

What:  Ms. Holmes and Ms. Watson – Apt. 2B
When:  October 25–November 17
Where:  Stages, 800 Rosine St.
Info:  tinyurl.com/yvw3psme