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Christmas Mysteries: A Sherlock Carol @MaryleboneTHLDN

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A mash-up of Charles Dickens's A Christmas Carol and Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes would seem an unlikely pairing. Yet it provides a surprisingly fun Christmas-themed adventure. These two Victorian tales (albeit separated by about 40 years) provide the basis for an inspired adventure at Christmastime that just also happens to turn out to be a murder mystery as well. With lavish costumes, a few spooky set pieces and some good old-fashioned stage trickery with lights and a lot of smoke machines, it is hard to resist. It returns to the Marylebone Theatre for Christmas after a run there last year.  The premise is that after Holmes sees off the criminal mastermind Professor Moriarty, he is left adrift in London. People thought he was dead, and he might as well be. Disinterested in the misdeeds of other Londoners, Holmes has even given up on his friend Dr Watson. It's almost as if he has become a Scrooge. Or half a Scrooge, moping about shouting, "bah" in respon
Outplotting the plotter or the plotting and planning in London...

Ok lets talk about Marc. After working out he was arriving this FRIDAY and not MONDAY I have been plotting a suitable counter-surprise... Here's what I emailed Skye earlier this week...

Subject: ok here's the plan...
To: "Skye"
From: Paul
Date: Wed, 12 Nov 2003 13:51:41 +0000

Skye,

At 11pm tonight Marc will be in the air... he may try and call you... lets pretend that all is still going to be as he planned... I am assuming that he will try and contact you in Japan either by phone or email so as possible talking points....

* If he starts to waver about the surprise thing then say no you have all set it up and that I seem to be getting over my cold. I informed him that I am getting over my cold just now so he will be aware of that...

* Tell him that you talked him into having my farewell work drinks near West Hampstead at (insert name) bar since it isn't that far from work anyway (he won't know!) so it is still all set for a surprise on Friday.

* On Friday he might try and sms or call you when e arrives. You will need to give the impression you are still on the train there but only five minutes away from the airport so get him to sit tight (that usually works as an excuse for me!).

I will be there to counter-surprise him instead. Ha!

* Btw I have dropped enough hints about "Monday's arrival" to make him think that all I have is a lingering suspicion about a surprise rather than the full plan...

* I should be able to get away from work at 3pm Friday so the airport should not be a problem.

Any other thoughts / suggestions on the plotting
and planning?

:-)

Paul.
---------


How did I find out?
* Travel itineraries are not sent as MSWord documents
* Skye after 3 ciders can't lie convincingly
* Idle chatter with Marc made him let the cat out of the bag anyway

Visuals
In other news there have been some great autumnal scenes in London this week. These have included
* Walking to work from Waterloo Bridge on the South Bank in between the trees with the golden brown leaves. The leaves are gone in this image but you could imagine what it looked like on a foggy overcast day...
* Finchley Road...

Ok and now tonight... haircut at Covent Garden... (snip snip)

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