tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6512050174377678428.post1107588030025425777..comments2024-03-26T09:32:26.565-05:00Comments on Sherlock Peoria: Gillette out of here!Sherlock Peoriahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09896656391037436805noreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6512050174377678428.post-27407397254516479042013-05-24T23:31:12.739-05:002013-05-24T23:31:12.739-05:00Thanks, Leah. Many good thoughts. And backup copie...Thanks, Leah. Many good thoughts. And backup copies! Yes!Sherlock Peoriahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09896656391037436805noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6512050174377678428.post-18818320430277832522013-05-24T22:28:03.042-05:002013-05-24T22:28:03.042-05:00Ok, I'm winging it here just a bit, so correct...Ok, I'm winging it here just a bit, so correct me if I'm off, but...<br />While I am not (for some reason) a fan of live theatre, and Gillette's eye makeup and stiff brocade dressing gowns are a bit off-putting, I think he and the play "Sherlock Holmes" were actually quite valuable for the survival of the character, and therefore the fandom. No matter how great a character is, people can fall away if they don't have new material every once in awhile to keep them interested. Perhaps they are not, then, "true believers," but few people are. Gillette's play reminded people how much they loved the character of Sherlock Holmes. And while I am sure that there were grumbles about how Holmes wasn't supposed to trust women, or people grousing that this Alice character was messing with their OTP, I'm sure that others became new fans because of it. Particularly, it seems, in the US. And new fans buy books. In the UK, that meant that, at least for awhile, they bought books printed by Newnes...also publisher of the Strand....who, as he saw Holmes remaining popular and, most importantly, lucrative past his sell-by date...was much more likely (ok, Greenhough Smith was much more likely) to accede to Doyle's high asking price JUST to have another Holmes book..and then a series...another series, even just a single story. And of course, as Doyle saw Holmes' popularity take off in the states due to Gillette's play, he also saw the benefit in using his old character, rather than creating a new one for HOUN...etc. etc. Also, that whole "marry him, murder him" has given a slew of pastiche/fanfic/what-have-you writers at least a certain level of "permission." Not that they needed it, perhaps, but that kind of flexibility--the kind that allowed Gillette to portray a Holmes that perhaps wasn't precisely in character, while his creator was watching--is something that, I think, allows the fandom to flourish and grow. I consider the Rathbone/Bruce films a bit like comfort food, I adore Jeremy Brett, and I have an altar to BBC....er, nevermind. Not a fan of Elementary, the 2nd Ritchie film, or some of the goofier Howard/Crawfords. I am not sure I would have gone for Gillette's play. However, I think we all owe it a certain amount of gratitude. And if nothing else..it did teach us that one must always have a backup copy ;)<br /><br />(Leah Guinn)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6512050174377678428.post-401499666116341802013-05-24T13:13:21.580-05:002013-05-24T13:13:21.580-05:00And unsolicited testimonial: If you can go to the ...And unsolicited testimonial: If you can go to the Norwegian Explorer's conference at all, do. It's one of the greatest shows in Sherlock! (And it doesn't happen every year, so you don't want to miss it when it does.)Sherlock Peoriahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09896656391037436805noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6512050174377678428.post-46799579522128342012013-05-24T13:11:13.916-05:002013-05-24T13:11:13.916-05:00I'm right with you on the old movies. My secre...I'm right with you on the old movies. My secret Sherlockian shame is that black and white Sherlock Holmes movies have always made me start drifting off to sleep, and I don't usually have that problem with movies.Sherlock Peoriahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09896656391037436805noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6512050174377678428.post-61621796728112394982013-05-24T10:34:10.671-05:002013-05-24T10:34:10.671-05:00I understand your scepticism, Brad. I personally c...I understand your scepticism, Brad. I personally cannot even watch most old movies and so sincerely doubt I would have found anything special in Mr Gilette's acting. The acting styles of former decades were much different from today's I find and often seem just ridiculous to me. I even don't understand all the fuss about Jeremy Brett who I always find faintly repulsive. <br /><br />But of course today we have the advantage of having a lot of Sherlocks to choose from which former generations didn't have. So, whoever took the greatcoat and wasn't totally inept probably was held in high regard, I imagine.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04066417080920042579noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6512050174377678428.post-47588219930404416692013-05-24T10:31:41.442-05:002013-05-24T10:31:41.442-05:00Computer software that doesn't work right desp...Computer software that doesn't work right despite a good name. Sound like Moriarty's work. We will miss you at the conference! Since you brought it up, shameless plug.<br />August 9-11, 2013 Sherlock Holmes Through Time and Place, sponsored by Norwegian Explorers of Minnesota, University of MN and the Friends of the Sherlock Holmes Collections.<br />http://www.norwegianexplorers.org/2013_conference.html<br />Richard Sveumhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14682153810620384840noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6512050174377678428.post-38223177381964575492013-05-24T10:21:31.472-05:002013-05-24T10:21:31.472-05:00That, and it's keeping me out of Minneapolis t...That, and it's keeping me out of Minneapolis this August, which is also aging me prematurely!Sherlock Peoriahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09896656391037436805noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6512050174377678428.post-82956221137537226622013-05-24T10:20:06.432-05:002013-05-24T10:20:06.432-05:00If you're wondering what happened to young Bra...If you're wondering what happened to young Brad, I would direct your attention to a certain software you might recall that I have been working with for the past year. I think the fact that it has a "Sherlock" portion might be adversely affecting my views.Sherlock Peoriahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09896656391037436805noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6512050174377678428.post-85290831758776573732013-05-24T09:53:54.184-05:002013-05-24T09:53:54.184-05:00So now you have turned into an elite devotee who d...So now you have turned into an elite devotee who disrespects Gillette. What happened to the young Brad who in 1970 was so excited and inclusive and took in the play? In the history of SH the transmedia appearance on stage allowed a generation to find its way back to the canon and become Sherlockians. When I started in the Norwegian Explorers we had an English professor who as a child had seen Gillette in his Farewell Tour in Minneapolis. <br />In the same spirit I hope that the CBS Elementary reaches a wide audience and some find there way back to the canon and become Sherlockians. Us old farts should be open to new interpretations and not be snobby to network television or Baker Street Babes.<br />By the way you posted it at 4:51 AM, you need to get more sleep. On Memorial weekend remember to Keep the Memory of the Master Green, and keep on posting. Richard Sveumhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14682153810620384840noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6512050174377678428.post-29426881872025806592013-05-24T09:08:06.250-05:002013-05-24T09:08:06.250-05:00Last week I saw a play at the Asolo theatre in Sar...Last week I saw a play at the Asolo theatre in Sarasota Florida- "The Game's Afoot". It's really a bed-room farce/murder mystery set at Gillette Castle, and featuring Gillette, his family and friends - and enemies. The set, costumes, and acting were fine. The script- not so much. The set was not really a copy of the Castle, but was an elaborate drawing room with a balcony familiar to every dinner-theatre production of Sleuth with a revolving bar (to hide bodies). It did have very well-done life-size pictures of familiar Gillette-posed-as-SH photos up on the walls, apparently to show his egotism. It wasn't a great play or even great Sherlockiana- especially at Asolo prices, but then, as Brad says, beggars can't be choosers. <br /> The play "SH and the Suicide Club", which was in Orlando earlier this year, was a better pastiche mashup of ACD and RLS. David R. McCallisternoreply@blogger.com