The Playgoers New Generation gave full vent to a pacy comedy/mystery, Sherlock Holmes and the West End Horror, adapted for the stage by Marcia Milgrom Dodge and Anthony Dodge.

Holmes, played with laid-back reassurance by James Reynolds and a gregarious and confident Watson (James Symonds) were invited to take on the mysterious case of a murdered theatre critic, after aspiring playwright, George Bernard Shaw pays them a visit.

The subsequent case entangled the pair with a who’s who of literary and theatrical characters of the era, including a two-dimensional Oscar Wilde, Gilbert and Sullivan, a dark and brooding Bram Stoker, Henry Irving and a youthful H.G Wells.

Thanks to director Nathan Hodge’s innovation, Holmes was a greater evolved character than that of the traditional, with focus on his avoidance of fame and celebrity.

Richard Dymond exploited the humour in the situation as the police officer in charge of the case and full credit must go to Tim Hawken, Aidan Thomas, Rachel Fenwick, Ryan Salter, Cathy Morgan and Tyron Sullivan for some extremely quick changes and exchanges.

The only criticism for me was the slight lack of awareness of the audience and a subsequent failure to engage fully with them - more to do with the wordiness of the play than with the capabilites of a talented cast.

This production runs until Saturday.