Baker Street Ladies review (Edinburgh Fringe)

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★★★★

Folkestone-based Slade Wolfe Enterprises is back at the Edinburgh Fringe for 2025, with three original plays at theSpaceUK. Their theatre-making takes historical or classic works and reimagines them, telling new stories about the figures and characters involved. At this year’s festival the company captured my attention with their listing for ‘Baker Street Ladies’, which takes the female characters from the Sherlock Holmes novels and shares their perspectives on Holmes and Watson’s escapades. Set in the reception room at 221B Baker Street when Sherlock Holmes is out on a case, audiences get to hear from Mrs Hudson, Mary Watson and Irene Adler, who share the impact that the case solving has had on their lives with an unnamed visitor to the notorious block of flats (the audience). Written and performed by Lexi Wolfe, I really enjoyed this Victorian period piece of theatre that places supporting characters from the books at centre stage.

Commitment to character

The one-person play is split into three distinct sections, with Lexi appearing on stage in full costume as each character. For a fringe production, the detailed costuming is a welcome addition, helping transport audiences to the Victorian era. The accents are also exceptional – so much so that after watching Lexi’s portrayal of Mrs Hudson, I genuinely thought they could be Scottish. Each of the three characters are brought to life with so much care and attention, particularly the softer Mary Watson, who clearly is feeling abandoned in a time of need.

My only comment would be that I was so enthralled by the portrayal of the mysterious Irene Adler, that I wanted to hear even more of her story. The most complex of the characters and deeply intriguing, there is so much to delve into with her dialogue, that I was longing for a bit more time to process her words. I honestly think Lexi could have created a whole 50-minute show on this character alone.

A refreshing take on Sherlock Holmes

I always really enjoy shows that take classic stories and reinterpret them from a different perspective. This is exactly what ’Baker Street Ladies’ is and it is a fascinating watch for anyone with an interest in Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s characters. If you are looking to support new writing at the festival, definitely consider adding the company to your schedule. You can catch ‘Baker Street Ladies’ on alternating dates at the Annexe venue at theSpace @ Symposium Hall until Saturday 23rd August. Performances start daily at 19:05, with tickets available via the festival’s website.

*My ticket for ‘Baker Street Ladies’ was gifted in exchange for an unbiased review.