IT’S pretty elementary really – for a thoroughly entertaining evening of theatre, you can’t fail at The Watermill.

Yet again, the attractive Bagnor venue has come up with something special. This season, it’s Sherlock’s Last Case, written by Charles Marowitz and directed by Maria Aitken (the mother of actor Jack Davenport).

This is a play that takes a different look at the relationship between Sherlock Holmes and Dr Watson. It is certainly one with lots of twists and turns with plenty of humour – some of which I have to admit I had trouble keeping up with as this performance goes at quite a pace.

I thought the acting was brilliant. Initially, I took a dislike to the rather selfish, rude and egotistical Sherlock Holmes – he was nothing like the urbane character played by Basil Rathbone of the 1930s and 1940s, and seemed even more aloof than the sleuth played by the admirable Jeremy Brett of the 1980s.

But I ended up feeling rather fond of Christopher Godwin’s version, not least because he made me laugh.

He still smokes his pipe and wears his cape, unlike Benedict Cumberbatch’s modern incarnation in the BBC One smash hit which is largely responsible for the numerous Sherlock Holmes tours currently in the UK.

Here the scene is very much Victorian England, where you will see Adam Kotz play Dr Watson as you’ve never seen before.

The same goes for Alexandra Mathie whose housekeeper Mrs Hudson proves to be pretty lively.

Poor old Inspector Lestrade (an amusing performance by Alister Cameron) is out of his depth during his dealings with Holmes. Victoria Grove is clearly a versatile actress and plays, not to give too much away, Liza Moriarty.

I’ll not say much either about Hector Whidsporing, who played a visitor and Roger Covivati, whose gun wielding character is convincing, save to say they play their roles well. 

Given the size of the stage of The Watermill, I was impressed with the quality of designer Simon Kenny's ingenious sets, where the drawing room of 221B Baker Street is transformed into a dank cellar of a condemned building.

Sound designer Mic Pool's acoustics, particularly during the cellar scenes, are excellent, before it all comes to an exciting end with a bang.

Sherlock’s Last Case runs until November 2. Tickets:  01635 46044, watermill.org.uk.