Sherlock Holmes in 4 Acts

109.jpeg
109b.jpg

Creator

Unattributed

Title

Sherlock Holmes in 4 Acts

Date

undated

Subject

Holograph playscript in a black notebook

Description

Penned in a black softcover notebook, this manuscript is an undated version of the Sherlock Holmes play, remarkable for its abundant detail. It is not in Conan Doyle’s hand, thus far eluding identification. Is this a genuine version of the play? When was it written down? Who was its author? If it was Conan Doyle, whom did he dictate it to? I am optimistic that answers to such questions will provide important insights into the play initially conceived by Conan Doyle. His original manuscript (and only copy) was destroyed when San Francisco’s Baldwin Hotel burned down, and the play we have today is Gillette’s rewrite. If this version predates the play that opened in 1899, it could provide a glimpse of Conan Doyle’s original conception.

Format

Unknown handwriting