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Max and Ivan are Holmes and Watson

...and a dolphin, a nude Scotsman and a whole host of prostitutes. There are hundreds of Holmes adaptations out there, and I am not afraid to say that this is the best. We are taken from Baker Street to Chicago in a flawlessly choreographed hour of fast-paced brilliance of Blockbuster quality on less than a B-movie budget. With only two bodies Max and Ivan create a world full of characters so clear-cut that they can all take to the stage at once, argue, fight, and still keep us captivated. Sound effects, flashbacks, theme tunes- nothing is beyond the range of this breathless production, which brings out the ridiculous in Holmes and sublimely exploits our understanding of the magic of theatre.
*****
Ditto Productions, Pleasance Courtyard, 3 – 29 Aug (not 16), 3:30 pm (1 hour), £8.50 - £11.00

[originally written for ThreeWeeks magazine]

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