THE STORY: Picking up where the famous stories ended, the play centers on a death threat against Sherlock Holmes by the supposed son of his late nemesis, Professor Moriarty. Oddly enough, however, Holmes is warned of the plot by Moriarty's daughter

These are the last twelve stories Conan Doyle wrote about Holmes and Watson. They reflect the disillusioned world of the 1920s and also include some of the wittiest passages in the series.

One of the world's most well known fictional characters, Sherlock Holmes first appeared in print in 1887. The detective was featured in four novels and 56 short stories written by his creator, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Within a decade of his creation Sherlock Holmes made his theatrical debut, first in a couple of obscure productions and soon in the celebrated play adapted by and starring William Gillette. Through the 20th century and beyond, the fictional detective featured in dozens of plays, not to mention radio programs, films, and television shows. In Sherlock Holmes on Stage, Amnon Kabatchnik cites the many theatrical appearances of the great detective since his debut in a one-act musical satire in November 1893. Divided into three sections, this book focuses on plays written or cowritten by Conan Doyle, one-act productions, and plays written by other authors—either adaptations of the novels and stories or original works. Within these sections, each entry is arranged in chronological order and provides a plot synopsis, production details, and other unique features. Some entries identify principal actors and provide biographical sketches of the playwrights, as well as those actors who made a lasting impression as the fictional sleuth. The book also includes several appendixes that focus on special productions, plays that feature variations of the Holmes character, and a list of acting editions.

The Case of Sherlock Holmes uncovers what is untold, partly told, wrongly told, or deliberately concealed in Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes saga.

John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, the Kennedy Center by arrangement with the governors of the Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Stratford-Upon-Avon, England, James Nederlander, Inc., The Shubert Organization, Kennedy Center Productions, Inc., Adela Holzer, Eddie Kulukundis, Victor Lurie presents The Royal Shakespeare Company with John Wood as "Sherlock Holmes," a play by Arthur Conan Doyle and William Gillette, and Philip Locke as Professor Moriarty, with Wendy Bailey, Arthur Blake, John Bott, Joseph Charles, Sean Clarke, Alan Coates, Robert Cook, John Keston, Barbara Leigh-Hunt, Joe Marcell, Mel Martin, Michael Mellinger, Pamela Miles, Martin Milman, Trevor Peacock, Tim Pigott-Smith, Nicholas Selby, Morgan Sheppard, Keith Taylor, Harry Towb, Michael Walker, music arranged by Michael Lankester, lighting designed by Neil Peter Jampolis, scenery and costumes designed by Carl Toms, directed by Frank Dunlop.