A collection of historic reviews and articles on Sherlockian theatrical performances from contemporary newspapers.

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Mrs S. Holmes, Detective (Ruth Bryan Leavitt)
1906
April: Orpheum Theatre, Salt Lake City

(Information above on performance dates is derived from newspaper archives and is therefore likely to be incomplete.)

AMUSEMENTS

That a woman may be the daughter of a man who was almost president of his country and still not make a sixteen-to-one strike as a playwriter is demonstrated this week at the Orpheum.

Mrs. Ruth Bryan Leavitt has written a playlet entitled "Mrs. S. Holmes, Detective," which is receiving its footlight debut over on State street. It may be that the daughter of Hon. W. J. Bryan is yet to wear the Fitchian crown of authorship – the future, however, is far away and uncertain. "Mrs. S. Holmes, Detective," as I saw it – I mean her – would baffle not only the famous Sherlock, but the infamous Raffles as well.

Elizabeth Spencer, who wears the weedless weeds of the late Sherlock Holmes, is doing her amateurish best to convince the Orpheum patrons of her histrionic sincerity and is really succeeding. The lady is surprisingly and agreeably pleasing and has a stage presence that would be an asset to many actresses I have seen.

All things considered, Elizabeth Spencer, is making good. That a Denver society lady should step from beneath the chandeliers of the drawing room and face the footlights with such easy grace Is refreshingly surprising in these suspicious dramatic days. Mrs. Ruth Bryan Leavltt, however, has another fancy of the pen coming to her.

Truth (Salt Lake City), Saturday 21 April 1906