Miss Holmes
Feminist Murder Mystery
2 acts – 120 minutes
4 women, 5 men
Based on the collected novels and short stories of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
For questions about licensing, please contact Dramatic Publishing.
In a time and place where gender roles are rigidly defined, Dr. Dorothy Watson and Miss Sherlock Holmes dare to challenge societal norms by providing a necessary, if unconventional, service. Inspired by the works of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, this theatrical “fan fiction” re-examines the world of Holmes and Watson, exploring the added challenges and risks faced by these two iconic characters if they were women.
“Christopher M. Walsh’s ‘Miss Holmes’ offers a cunning and highly enjoyable gender-bent take on Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s maddeningly brilliant detective… Walsh manages the tricky task of providing both old-school fan service and feminist insight… Walsh’s take suggests, with sympathy and wit, that being the world’s greatest detective is even harder when one is metaphorically doing it backward and in high heels.” – Kerry Reid, Chicago Tribune
“Walsh takes Miss Holmes seriously, unlike many of the men of the Victorian era, and the mystery he’s contrived for her to solve is as dangerous and opaque as anything the traditional male Holmes had to face. … Walsh’s insights about gender dynamics and institutionalized misogyny bubble up in hindsight for days after seeing the show.” – Kilian Melloy, WBUR’s The ARTery
“[Walsh’s] dialogue positively crackles with energy and delights in its commentary on Victorian England. … ‘Miss Holmes’ never overplays its feminist politics, preferring instead to slowly build how disadvantaged Holmes and Watson are as intelligent, independent women in a society that so clearly does not value such attributes.” – Peter Thomas Ricci, Chicago Theatre Review
“Miss Holmes is a refreshing portrayal of the classic detective on Baker Street. … Walsh’s script is funny, suspenseful and ultimately moving.” – Scotty Zacher, Chicago Theater Beat
“CRITIC’S PICK… Christopher M. Walsh’s play offers comedy, drama and — the best part — an opportunity to elevate the many voices of women in the arts.” – Jenifer Moore, CityBeat
“4 STARS… Miss Holmes offers much in the way of pleasure to theatergoers. It’s fun, it’s thoughtful, it’s compelling and empowering and unexpected. But of all the delights it grants audiences, there’s one that surpasses the rest: It leaves plenty of room for, and even demands, a sequel. If there’s any justice in the world, we’ll get one.” – Allison Shoemaker, Time Out Chicago
“4 STARS… Walsh’s script carefully balances the need to establish the female characters’ place in the world with the particulars of the mystery, and he is able to connect the themes of sexist oppression with the case quite smoothly. Of course, this being a Sherlock Holmes story, the truth of the case is quite a bit more complicated than any easy, pat didactic. For the many fans of the great detective, Miss Holmes is a true delight—expanding and commenting upon the original, while adding its own twist.” – Jacob Davis, Around the Town Chicago
“This wonderful romp of a mystery is fast-paced and will keep you guessing. Without giving anything away, I will say this much: the ending is incredibly satisfying and earns Miss Holmes a respected spot in the Sherlock Holmes canon.” – Keely Flynn, Lollygag Blog
“Walsh’s detective story is smart, sophisticated and droll. … There is so much to love in MISS HOLMES that I want more! Encore! Series!” – Katy Walsh, The Fourth Walsh
“Walsh has written a great detective story in the style of Conan Doyle, adding interest and enjoyment by changing the gender of the main characters. The social and political realities of the time and place allow him to double down on the feminist themes that he incorporates, giving the play more relevance in the present.” – Nancy Grossman, Broadway World Boston
“‘Miss Holmes’ is a savagely accurate and yet comic wallow in the ugliness of the Victorian backlash against women and the gloriously indomitable courage of Victorian feminism. The play’s grasp of class issues and historical context is impeccable, its witty rebuttal to Doyle both grateful and corrective. I plan to go back to see it again as often as I can manage.” – Jennifer Stevenson, Book View Cafe Blog
“The playwright, Christopher M. Walsh, should particularly be commended. He has captured both Holmes and Watson’s characteristic ways of speaking and translated them to an entirely new mystery. One that is engaging and contains a twist or two and uses the fact that the main characters are now women to further the action and the plot. The gender-swap is not a bug, it’s a feature.” – Suzanne Magnuson, Splash Magazine