"In the Power of Sherlock Holmes" - A Distinctly Australian Cry.

Shire Hall, Mildura, Queensland, 1912

    In the Power/In the Grip/At the Mercy of Sherlock Holmes.

                          “A distinctly  Australian cry” [The Boscombe Valley Mystery]

By 1910, Sherlock Holmes was a familiar figure to theatregoers in Australia and New Zealand, most notably through the performances of Cuyler Hastings, in Gillette’s “Sherlock Holmes” and Charles Blake in  Max Goldberg’s “Bank of England”. It was therefore good business on the part of J C Williamson to secure (within a month of its first UK performance) Australian and New Zealand rights to perform Conan Doyle’s new play, “The Speckled Band”. The company’s 1911 production, starring William Desmond, having done well in Australia, embarked on a short New Zealand tour early in 1912, taking in only select venues as they were due back in Sydney by 24 February and Desmond was returning to America. [ see  NZ Tour ].

“In the Power of Sherlock Holmes” by the Australian author, Norman Campbell.  

Meanwhile, back in Victoria, Australia, a new four act play about Sherlock Holmes was staged by The Campbell Dramatic Company. “In the Power of Sherlock Holmes” premiered in the Shire Hall, Mildura on 2 February, 1912 with J L Lawrence as Holmes.

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