SHERLOCK visits
Extraordinary experiences await you!
You and your friends can meet the man whom the Criterion Bar Association of Chicago has described as "certainly the genuine article" and whom noted Sherlockian scholar Chris Redmond, BSI, has described as "Sherlock Holmes to the life."
To bring the world of Sherlock Holmes to your next business meeting, banquet, fund-raiser or exclusive event, first you must learn whether your schedule conforms with that of Mr. Holmes.
In the role of the Baker Street detective, John C. Sherwood offers a variety of distinguished events:
SHERLOCK HOLMES'S BASIC LESSONS: A witty presentation of methods and techniques that the great detective has used to solve his cases. And here's a bonus for diehard Sherlockians: If you earn Mr. Holmes's respect, he may favor you with his "whole art of detection in 20 words"! You just might end up smarter than when you began to listen!
SHERLOCK HOLMES DEMONSTRATES: The sleuth will focus his deductive power on audience members, often determining character from pocket items ... finding an evil-doer from the audience ... and deducing precisely who is telling the truth and who is fibbing! There are moments when this presentation gets so exciting that people expect blood to be shed!
DINNER WITH MR. HOLMES: Your self-catered dinner is hosted by Mr. Holmes, who will offer toasts, pithy observations and intellectual challenges, while answering any and all questions your guests may have about his eventful life!
SHERLOCK HOLMES SPEAKS: The sleuth will visit your organization and present an entertaining and enlightening speech about problem-solving skills, drawing on examples from his career, both in the grand old days of Victorian London as well as during modern days in the United States!
Baker Street Irregulars scion societies that have met with Mr. Holmes include:
• The Sherlockians of Baltimore, Maryland
• The Cheshire Sherlock Holmes Society, Connecticut
• The Criterion Bar Association, Chicago, Illinois
• The Red Circle, Washington, D.C.
• The Six Napoleons of Baltimore, Maryland
• The Stormy Petrels of Maumee Bay, Toledo, Ohio
• Watson's Tin Box of Ellicott City, Maryland
• The Ribston-Pippins of Royal Oak, Michigan
• The White Rose Irregulars of York, Pennsylvania
• The Denizens of the Bar of Gold of Cambridge, Maryland
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~ Deep appreciation is extended to Daniel Frey for the reproduction here of his original oil portrait of Mr. Sherlock Holmes at The Victorian Villa Inn in Union City, Michigan. ~
WHAT OTHERS SAY ...
"Mr. Holmes was extraordinary ... His deductive skills were demonstrated in truly Masterful ways. ... The philosophy inherent in his dialogue was profound. ... The evening was a smashing success!" ~ Arthur Renkwitz, member, Baker Street Irregulars, New York
• "Baltimore had the best annual 'Saturday with Sherlock Holmes' ever. Holmes was smart, humorous, touching, and (most importantly) *believable.* ... Not only did the Sherlockians believe in him, but the non-Sherlockian members of the public ... went away in wonder." - Andrew Solberg, BSI
• "Sherlock Holmes kept the children spellbound as he taught them to deduce from the facts and to -- as he himself practices -- 'never guess.' ... It was so encouraging and very rewarding to see the involvement of the children.'" - Jacquelynn Morris, Howard County (Maryland) Library
• "I'd like to convey my thanks to Mr. Holmes and the members of Watson's Tin Box for their presentations. The programs were quite successful and the kids enjoyed them. It was so kind of the presenters to give so much of their time and of Mr. Holmes to travel so far." - Irva Nichlas-Gabin, children's librarian, Howard County (Maryland) Library, East Columbia Branch
• "John Sherwood's performance as Mr. Sherlock Holmes is spellbinding. Over a 13-year run of sold-out Sherlock Holmes' Mystery Weekends, the guests of my inn kept coming back for more and more! ... Absolutely outstanding!" - Ronald J. Gibson, Innkeeper, The Victorian Villa Inn, Union City, Michigan
"For more than two hours none other than the real, living Sherlock Holmes enthralled the audience ... his dress and physical actions were realistic to the core." ~ P. Stephen Clarkson, member, Baker Street Irregulars, New York City
"Indeed, he was Holmes to the life. ... It was odd for a few moments, and then quite familiar somehow, making small talk with Sherlock Holmes himself." ~ Chris Redmond, member, Baker Street Irregulars, New York City
"John Sherwood is the most realistic, believable and true portrayer of Sherlock Holmes whom I have ever seen and/or heard. ... Were Sherlock Holmes real, John Sherwood is what he would be." ~ Norman Davis, member, Baker Street Irregulars, New York City
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~ Deep appreciation is extended to Denis Dobry of Reading, Maryland, for hosting the appearance of Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson at his meticulous reproduction of 221B Baker Street.
Site Content
An alternative to our in-person events ...
Now, through your own Zoom session, you can experience these dynamic demonstrations of observation, deduction and memory, which offer compelling, interactive learning with humor and grand style -- for all ages!
The miracle of modern technology will allow you and your organization to meet this great Victorian, who marked his 168th birthday in early 2022. See for yourself how he can glean information, delve inner thoughts and manipulate people, all while remaining true to the character you've admired through the works of his biographer, John H. Watson, M.D., with a certain amount of assistance from the late Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.
From a quaint corner of an undisclosed location somewhere on the planet, Holmes himself will take you on an excursion through his 17-decade-long life, answer questions about his past cases and even teach you his Ten Basic Lessons! If you'd like, you'll learn about his "Whole Art of Detection," which he'll condense into just 20 words -- and then teach you the indispensable Two-Word Rule that shaped his destiny and might even change your own!
You'll serve as more than just an audience member. You'll be urged to participate throughout, by asking -- and answering! -- questions, and even joining in one or more remarkable deductive experiences.
How does the virtual event take place?
Participants will be asked to use Zoom-enabled electronic devices with that will allow them to be seen and heard by Mr. Holmes, with the understanding that the experience is not to be recorded in any way. Any number of people may be allowed to participate on a single device, as long as one person becomes the appointed spokesperson for the group.
Mr. Holmes may ask participants to mute and unmute as he finds necessary. Participants will not be subjected to embarrassing situations but may find some of Mr. Holmes's demonstrations or questions to be challenging. Participants who wish not to be visible to Mr. Holmes during the session must receive permission from his scheduler before the session begins.
How can you make it happen?
To arrange an event, contact jcs@mysteryvisits.com and describe your event and/or plan in detail, including number of participants and how they intend to join via Zoom. Also, propose at least *three* alternative times and days for your event, with a request for one of these alternative programs:
• Short meeting - 20 minutes: $100 US -- Includes brief history, Q&A session
• Extended meeting - 35 minutes: $150 US -- Includes brief history, 10 Lessons, Q&A session
• Full session - 60 minutes: $200 -- Includes brief history, 10 Lessons & synopsis, logic demonstration, Q&A session
• For young people only - 20 minutes: $75 US -- a greeting to students and youthful readers, exclusively for teaching environments-- Follow-up (for second visits only): Beginning at $75 for 15 minutes and $25 for each additional 15 minutes, sessions may focus on additional logic and/or memory demonstrations/instructions and relevant research questions.
Requests for specialized programs will be considered; the scheduler will respond with pricing and timing alternatives.
Confirming the event
If Mr. Holmes is available on one of your proposed dates, his scheduler will contact you by return email and provide and Zoom link for the event.
Once confirmed, one-half of the contracted payment is to be sent immediately via PayPal, with the remainder to be paid immediately after the session.
After the second payment is made, any documents referenced in the presentation will be downloaded to the client for distribution to the participants as a souvenir of the event.
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Pictured: Sherlock Holmes and Dr. John Watson visit the annual Kensington Book Fair in Maryland. On this occasion and many others, Dr. Watson's appearance was arranged by the late Paul Churchill. On other occasions in Michigan, Dr. Watson's appearance has been arranged by Brooks Grantier.