Holmes Fest - The Unique Celebration of Conan Doyle Is Back By Popular Demand!
The Conan Doyle Estate are pleased to provide support to 'Holmes Fest' a celebration of the life and times of Arthur Conan Doyle - returning on the 20th and 21st November 2024.
Featuring acts from Portsmouth, including writers, poets, musicians and comedians, the Holmes Fest is two hours of increasing silliness that celebrates the many different aspects of Arthur Conan Doyle’s writing...
Over to Holmes Fest!
"From a writer playing Mrs Hudson with a secret, through a poet portraying Arthur Conan Doyle as a gentleman rapper, to hilarious skits and comedy sketches, the show is a suitable homage to the writer from the city where Sherlock Holmes first came to life thanks to the author’s pen. And that’s not all. Film and TV star Mark Wingett also appears in the show as Sir Algernon Blenkinsop-Carver – and things don’t all go to plan as this fictitious Victorian theatrical luminary takes to the stage, that’s for sure!
The night features original creations by some of Portsmouth’s many creatives – and includes The Holmes Fest Anthem – written by comedy music hall duo Hudson and Lestrade (actually Matt Parson and Janet Ayers) which is brilliant and funny in equal measure with its clever allusions to the author... but enough!
I shan’t give the show away except to say it is well worth the pleasure of going along. And if you decided to enter more fully into the spirit of the show – remember: there’s even a prize for the best dressed Victorian."
Mark Wingett - is enthusiastic about the city’s Doyle connection -
“Taking part in the show has not only been great fun – it’s also been a learning experience for me. I had no idea about the extraordinary scope of Conan Doyle’s work, from the mummy story to the tale of encountering dinosaurs and much more besides, his fingerprints are on so much of the popular culture we take for granted – including the detective story, of course!”
His brother, and the show’s organiser. Matt Wingett created the show because he is keen to city’s celebrate the connection with Conan Doyle and recently publishing a collection of his previously uncollected stories, most of which were written while he lived in Southsea.
“Portsmouth was a land of opportunity for Conan Doyle,” he says. “This is where the great turning points in his life occurred. He discovered spiritualism here, got married and had his first child here, and of course created Sherlock Holmes. This is our opportunity to inspire new writers in the city, and artists, too.”
Earlier this year - Holmes Fest made it's debut - which Great Nephew of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle - Richard Doyle - attended in the Square Tower, Old Portsmouth, England on the evening of Sunday 18th February. He gives his review of a thoroughly well enjoyed evening and a great community gathering ... Read Here
