For nearly a year, the theatre industry has created, and adapted to, a brand new form of theatre and Les Enfants Terribles’ Sherlock Holmes an Online Adventure: The Case of the Hung Parliament is a prime example of how we’ve made the most of the last year’s challenges. 

Performed entirely on Zoom and a mix of live performance, pre-recorded footage, and independent exploration of crime scenes, it fantastically translates immersive theatre onto the virtual stage. Rosalind McAndrew’s Dr Watson is the perfect blend of authoritative and encouraging, commandeering the audience with the softly spoken forthrightness we’ve come to expect from Dr Watson. 

Guided by Dr Watson, the audience are encouraged to work together to solve a triple-murder and the 90-minute production takes you from crime scene to forensic laboratory, to interrogation of the suspects, with a few video calls from Sherlock Holmes himself peppered throughout! Played by Richard Holt, a real highlight of the production is Holmes’s final scene which is so engaging, it feels like being back in a theatre again. 

The music, video effects, and interactive elements throughout keep great pace and the audience is afforded real autonomy to help solve the case, which truly makes the most of the virtual environment. With intuitive creativity like this, the production really proves that we can look back at virtual theatre as a product of the pandemic to take forward into the future, rather than something we look back on as a blip in the history of theatre. If you’re looking for an entertaining, yet challenging, night out at the theatre from the comfort of your own home, book your tickets now! 

**** Four stars

Reviewed by: Eliza Harris

The production is currently running until 4 April. To book tickets, please click here.