Grab your passport because we're going to Brooklyn!

Of course, Brooklyn is part of the United States and no passport is required to travel there from Manhattan.  Still, some Manhattanites (not us) consider Brooklyn to be a foreign place, visited rarely if ever.  In fact, we stole that "bring your passport for Brooklyn" joke from a Manhattan tour guide.

That parochial view has been waning over time, however, with Wall Streeters living in Brooklyn, families moving to Brooklyn for space and savings, and artists settling in Brooklyn for affordable studio space.  (Now it has become too expensive for most newcomers!)

One artistic endeavor in Brooklyn is the long-established Aquila Theater, now located in DUMBO.  (You know what and where DUMBO is if you have been reading this blog.)  The theater is housed in a converted factory in a neighborhood that is transitioning from long-departed factories to apartments, artistic ventures and startup's.

Recently, we attended Aquila Theater's The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes.  The play was a collection of 3 mysteries presented by a cast of 5 talented actors playing multiple roles.  There were some creative casting choices.  Sherlock, portrayed by actress Jackie Schram as a woman wearing a man's clothes, was every bit as talented and over-confident as you would hope for.  Another actor, Peter Groom, portrayed an amiable Dr. Watson and easily morphed into other characters, including a convincing old hag. The entire cast was diverse in appearance and background--composed of actors from around the world.  The diversity made for an exotic, believable portrayal of the mysteries. 

Program for the The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes

The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, Aquila Theater (2016), the cast with Sherlock Holmes in the center

To see more about the play, click here.

The weather helped set the mood.  It was a cold, rainy day and we trudged down cobblestone streets lined with trolley tracks to get to the theater housed in a century-plus old building.  It was very much like London in the 1800's, or so we imagined.  

A cold, rainy day in DUMBO--perfect weather for seeing The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes

We stopped along the way for lunch at a cafe in another ancient factory building--with exposed brick walls and a barrel vaulted ceiling.  The dessert--hot apple pie--was just what the doctor ordered for the bone-chilling weather.

Lunching at the aptly named Archway Cafe in DUMBO.  Greg is laser focused on his hot apple pie.  Yum!

Following the play, we returned to Manhattan with passports in hand.  It was a good adventure see Sherlock Holmes in God's Country, Brooklyn.