PICK ONE OF THE CHARACTERS

Topic: The Red Headed League

Characters
Sherlock: Cameron
Watson: Andy / Eddie
Jabez Wilson: Vishali
Spaulding: Roger
Narrator: Simran
Props: Newspaper, scarf, cane aka1B umbrella , red hair spray, chair, pin (I <3 UCI)
*Whenever the detective genre convention comes up, freeze*
Narrator: This story starts with Watson entering 221b Baker Street
*Enter Watson from the side. Holmes pulls him in*

Sherlock: Hey Watson, This is Mr. Janice Wilson. She has a very interesting case.
Narrator: *TO audience* What convention do you all notice here? The main character is a
detective.
*points at Holmes*
Watson: Nice to meet you.
Sherlock: (*Observes Wilson) I can deduce that he has done some manual labour, he is a
Freemason, and that he has been in China
Wilson: How did you deduce that I am a laborer?
Sherlock: Your right hand is larger than your left which means that the muscles are more
developed from manual labor.
Wilson: Well then how did you deduce I was a Freemason?
Sherlock: Your pin is one of the Freemasons.
Wilson: and that I was in China?
Sherlock: I can tell that you got your tattoo from China because it is the only place that makes
that kind of fish tattoo. (Wilson exclaims and shows his tattoo to audience)
Wilson: I have an ad regarding this so-called Red Headed League

Watson: (*Hand me the paper)

TO THE RED-HEADED LEAGUE: There is now another vacancy open which will give you 4
pounds a week for a typing job. All red-headed men who are sound in body and mind and above
the age of twenty-one years, are eligible. Apply in person on Monday, at eleven oclock, to
Duncan Ross, at the offices of the League, 7.
What on Earth does this mean?
Sherlock: Tell us about your background (directed to Wilson)
Wilson: Well I own this small pawnshop in the city, and I have an assistant named Vincent
Spaulding, whos learning the trade from me.
Sherlock: Tell me more about this guy.
Wilson: He is a very genuine man, who works when he is told to, but hes always
in the basement developing photos, for some odd reason.
Sherlock: How did you know about the job?
Wilson: My apprentice, Spaulding, showed me the ad and encouraged me to join the Red Headed
League, I mean who wouldnt for that amount of money?
Watson: Well, didnt millions of men apply for the same job? And you are the one person who
got it?
Wilson: Well no duh, with hair like this, who wouldnt hire me? *HAIR FLIP*
Wilson: At first the job seemed easy. I only needed to rewrite text for 4 hour shifts, and that was
it. And then suddenly the job was gone, and they left a note saying The Red Headed League is
dissolved. Ever since then Ive been asking around, and the boss that I was working for,
William Morris, was a scam artist and was using the room under illegal means. I dont know
what else to do, so I came to you. Hopefully you can get back to me. (Sit down)
Narrator: What convention have you noticed after all that? The main plot must be about an
investigation and its resolution
Watson: What are we going to do about this?
Sherlock: Lets take a trip to the city and meet this Spaulding fellow
(*walk out and come back in)

Narrator: At the Pawnshop

Watson: *Knock, knock* We wished to know how you would go from here to the Strand?
Spaulding: Take the fourth right
Watson: Thanks.
Sherlock: He seems like a smart man. Did you notice the knees of his trousers?
Watson: Why do you ask?
Sherlock: Ill see you tonight at 10 and explain the situation

Narrator: What is another convention you can see? This mystery is a complex secret that looks
impossible to solve.
Narrator: That night at Baker Street
Sherlock: Oh good Watson you have arrived! Its time for us to catch Vincent Spaulding or as
he is known more widely as, John Clay, the infamous bank robber of the Bank of France!
Narrator: In the underground vault of a bank
*Watson and Holmes are crouching and hiding. Enter Spaulding*
Watson: There he is! *tackles Spaulding*
Holmes: Clever Spaulding. I observed the knees of your trousers and saw dirt and that they were
worn out. Only explanation is that you had been digging, but why? Then I realized today that at
the end of the street, there is a bank. You used the excuse of developing photos in Wilsons
basement in order to begin digging a hole towards the banks vault. You knew this hole would
take longer to dig if Wilson was always in, so you made up the Red-Headed League to get him
out of the shop. You used the money you stole from the Bank of France to pay him everyday and
keep him satisfied. Then as soon as you finished digging, you got rid of the Red-Headed League
and planned to rob the bank tonight.
Narrator: What is another convention you witness here? The mystery will be solved and the
detective will explain the whole mystery to you.
4 qualities of the detective genre that you just saw were:
Transitory: you already know what happened, you dont want to watch it again.
Intellectuality: The reader wants to solve the mystery
Recreational: Its all a game to play for the audience.
Limited structure: story gets solved at the end, know how the game works