Sherlock Holmes and The Case of the Jersey Lily

Sherlock Holmes and The Case of the Jersey Lily by Katie Forgette

(4)
Productions (113)
Mystery/Comedy
|
115 - 130 minutes
2 W, 5 M,  (7-11 actors possible: 2-3 W, 5-8 M)
Set: Flexible set that suggests multiple locations.

The wit of Oscar Wilde meets the cunning of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle when Wilde brings his dear friend, Lillie Langtry, to Baker Street. Someone has stolen the highly intimate letters Lillie exchanged with the Prince of Wales, and now she is being blackmailed. Only Holmes can solve the case, going so far as to disguise himself as an early version of Lady Bracknell from Wilde's latest play, The Importance of Being Forthright, while Watson falls head-over-heels for the Jersey Lily and a wicked professor attempts to bring the Crown to its knees.

Pricing Information

Min. Performance Fee* $85
Standard Edition $13.99
Stage Manager Edition $24.99
Archival Video License $150

*The per performance fee begins at $85. Your per performance fee will be provided during the ordering process.


Playscripts is pleased to offer an Archival Video License for an additional $150 for full-length plays and $75 for one-act plays.

Play Details

The wit of Oscar Wilde meets the cunning of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle when Wilde brings his dear friend, Lillie Langtry, to Baker Street. Someone has stolen the highly intimate letters Lillie exchanged with the Prince of Wales, and now she is being blackmailed. Only Holmes can solve the case, going so far as to disguise himself as an early version of Lady Bracknell from Wilde's latest play, The Importance of Being Forthright, while Watson falls head-over-heels for the Jersey Lily and a wicked professor attempts to bring the Crown to its knees.

Special feature: Author's note from playwright Katie Forgette (PDF)

  • Mystery/Comedy
  • |
  • 115 - 130 minutes
  • 2 W, 5 M,  (7-11 actors possible: 2-3 W, 5-8 M)
  • Set: Flexible set that suggests multiple locations.
  • Standard Edition ISBN: 978-1-62384-064-8

Published Reviews

"The show keeps many secrets and presents many twists, most of which caught the audience by great surprise... Expect laughter and suspense as the mystery slowly and craftily unravels."

Dutch Godshalk, Montgomery Newspapers

"It's about as intelligent, fanciful, and witty a Holmes as you can find on the stage anywhere this summer."

Manchester Journal

"Simply delicious describes perfectly the comedy in the Dorset Theatre Festival's Sherlock Holmes and the Case of the Jersey Lily, the Katie Forgette mystery-comedy that opened at the Dorset Playhouse Friday. And it was a pretty neat mystery too....You simply remain on edge—when you're not laughing."

Times Argus

"A faithful, loving tribute to the colorful British characters of Sherlock Holmes and Oscar Wilde, Sherlock Holmes and the Case of the Jersey Lily by Seattle playwright Katie Forgette fancifully fuses fact and fiction."

Jonathan Turner, Quad-Cities Online

"Sherlock Holmes and the Case of the Jersey Lily remembers a time when detective stories were not about blood and bodies, but brains and bon mots."

Kevin Prokosh, Winnipeg Free Press

"If you've been hankering for a right jolly bit of theatrical sleuthing British style, you'd be hard put to it, indeed, to ferret out better fare than Sherlock Holmes and the Case of the Jersey Lily..."

Herald Courier

"...a quick-paced, witty...confection that goes down like iced lemonade on a summer scorcher."

Pioneer Press

"Sherlock is all about fun, and supplies it in good measure."

Minneapolis City Pages

"Holmes has 'lock' on comedy..."

Star Tribune

"Katie Forgette's delicious take on the great detective...is a delightful theatrical romp as Holmes and Watson join forces with Oscar Wilde to protect the actress Lillie Langtry."

Philly.com

"This production ultimately emerges as a wonderful family-friendly evening of theater. There is comedy, drama, even a second-act swordfight, all wrapped in the familiar faces of Holmes, Watson, and Wilde."

Nicholas Martorellia, Stage Magazine Online

"Sherlock fans are in for a treat... If this is amusing for audiences, you can only imagine how entertaining it is for the actors... All told: delish."

Toby Zinman, The Philadelphia Inquirer

Production History

OCT 04, 2025 - OCT 05, 2025
Hendersonville Theatre
Hendersonville Theatre, NC United States
Hendersonville TheatreHendersonville Theatre, NC United States
OCT 03, 2025 - OCT 19, 2025
CentreStage Theatre Society
Kentville, NS Canada
CentreStage Theatre SocietyKentville, NS Canada
JAN 17, 2025 - JAN 19, 2025
Pittsfield High School
Pittsfield, MA United States
Pittsfield High SchoolPittsfield, MA United States
DEC 14, 2024 - DEC 15, 2024
West Rutland School
West Rutland, VT United States
West Rutland SchoolWest Rutland, VT United States
NOV 08, 2024 - NOV 17, 2024
Back Alley Theatre of Grand Cane
Grand Cane, LA United States
Back Alley Theatre of Grand CaneGrand Cane, LA United States
OCT 31, 2024 - NOV 02, 2024
Glen Arbor Players
Glen Arbor, MI United States
Glen Arbor PlayersGlen Arbor, MI United States
SEP 14, 2024 - NOV 08, 2024
Barter Theatre
Abingdon, VA United States
Barter TheatreAbingdon, VA United States
APR 26, 2024 - APR 28, 2024
Abbeville Community Performing Arts
Abbeville, SC United States
Abbeville Community Performing ArtsAbbeville, SC United States
MAR 23, 2024 - MAR 24, 2024
WACO Community School District
Wayland, IA United States
WACO Community School DistrictWayland, IA United States
NOV 17, 2023 - NOV 18, 2023
Princeton Performing Arts
Cincinnati, OH United States
Princeton Performing ArtsCincinnati, OH United States
1 of 12
OCT 04, 2025 - OCT 05, 2025
Hendersonville Theatre
Hendersonville Theatre, NC United States
Hendersonville TheatreHendersonville Theatre, NC United States
OCT 03, 2025 - OCT 19, 2025
CentreStage Theatre Society
Kentville, NS Canada
CentreStage Theatre SocietyKentville, NS Canada
SEP 14, 2024 - NOV 08, 2024
Barter Theatre
Abingdon, VA United States
Barter TheatreAbingdon, VA United States
APR 14, 2023 - MAY 14, 2023
Alley Theatre
Houston, TX United States
Alley TheatreHouston, TX United States
JUL 25, 2019 - AUG 04, 2019
Bristol Valley Theater
Naples, NY United States
Bristol Valley TheaterNaples, NY United States
AUG 09, 2018 - AUG 26, 2018
Milwaukee Chamber Theatre
Milwaukee, WI United States
Milwaukee Chamber TheatreMilwaukee, WI United States
OCT 07, 2016 - OCT 23, 2016
Centenary Stage
Hackettstown, NJ United States
Centenary StageHackettstown, NJ United States
JUN 14, 2016 - JUN 18, 2016
Vertigo Theatre Society
Calgary, AB Canada
Vertigo Theatre SocietyCalgary, AB Canada
MAY 14, 2016 - JUN 12, 2016
Vertigo Theatre Society
Calgary, AB Canada
Vertigo Theatre SocietyCalgary, AB Canada
JUL 09, 2015 - JUL 25, 2015
Dorset Theatre Festival
Dorset, VT United States
Dorset Theatre FestivalDorset, VT United States
NOV 14, 2014 - DEC 14, 2014
Austin Playhouse
Austin, TX United States
Austin PlayhouseAustin, TX United States
OCT 13, 2014 - NOV 08, 2014
Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre Inc.
Winnipeg, MB Canada
Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre Inc.Winnipeg, MB Canada
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