Dec. 17--The mystery at hand is a thin one, but maybe that's the point. Sherlock Holmes never seemed like a man particularly swayed by the holiday season; surely he would look for any excuse or busywork -- a tepid mystery will do just fine -- to avoid anything remotely sentimental foisted upon him at Christmas.
That said, there's barely any there there -- the puzzle begins with a battered hat that leads to an uncooked goose with a stolen gem lodged in its throat -- and a bit of padding has been added by adapters Michael Menendian, who also directs, and John Weagly (working off an Arthur Conan Doyle short story from 1892). Christmas songs are woven into the action, as are a few non sequitur/wink-wink references to "A Christmas Carol" -- because to Americans, London at Christmas equals Dickens, I guess?
But all of it is done with such good-natured insistence, why resist? Sherlock, as played by Graham Emmons, is full of himself and amusingly prickly, as he should be, with Damian Conrad's steadfast Watson offering a necessary arched eyebrow every so often. Underscoring the production's sense of humor about itself are the live Foley effects, which include snapping Bubble Wrap to create the sound of a crackling fire and noisily thrusting a plunger into a bucket of water to simulate a plumber's labors.
2.5 STARS
Through Jan. 4 at Raven Theatre, 6157 N. Clark St.; tickets are $20 at 773-338-2177 or raventheatre.com
