The Illustrated Speckled Band
Ed. by Leslie S. Klinger
Reviewed by Amy Thomas
The Baker
Street
The idea of Sherlock Holmes in the theater
tends to bring images of William Gillette to mind, the actor whose play Sherlock Holmes and portrayal of the detective
garnered acclaim that continues to this day. Less well known to current
Sherlockians is the fact that Sir Arthur Conan Doyle himself successfully dramatized
one of his most popular stories, “The Speckled Band.” Thankfully, The Illustrated Speckled Band provides a
comprehensive overview of this tantalizing piece of Holmesian trivia.
The book consists of four main elements:
the text of the play, photographs of the original stage production, an original
review of the production, and an essay that relates the play to the short
story. For those familiar with the text of the story, the play reads a bit like
a movie script taken from a print source—it follows the same general pattern,
but many of the details have been changed for dramatic effect and convention.
Conan Doyle’s ability as a dramatist is immediately apparent in the masterful
use of humor and foreshadowing.
The photos, placed alongside the text where
they naturally occurred in the production, are a rare treat. They not only shed
light on direction and staging, but they also reveal something of the Adelphi
Theater acting style just after the turn of the century.
The critical review, from The Playgoer and Society Illustrated, is
a charming window into the journalism of the period and the popular opinion of
Conan Doyle. The paper’s short biographical articles about the main castmembers
are also included and contain such gems as this amusingly purple quote from
Christine Silver, who played the lead female character: “You will say this is
very feminine. Well, I admit the soft impeachment; it’s a woman’s privilege. A
man lives and forgets; a woman lives and remembers.”
Finally, the essay by R. Dixon Smith does
an excellent job of illuminating the circumstances that surrounded the writing
of the play and the ways in which it compares and contrasts with the source
story. It’s a satisfying way to conclude a very unusual volume.
The
Illustrated Speckled Band is appealing in three
particular ways. Its obvious Holmesian appeal lies in the rarity of what is
included and the extensive presentation of a little-known piece of
Sherlockiana. Additionally, it offers an unusually detailed look at British
theater in 1910. Finally, for historians, it gives a glimpse of the ideas and
attitudes of actors and reviewers during Conan Doyle’s time. It’s an enjoyable
book to read, but its beautiful cover design also makes it a great addition to
the bookshelf or coffee table of any Sherlock Holmes lover.
A copy of this book was provided for
consideration by Gasogene Books.
