Watson shares famous Sherlock Homes story ‘Arthur Conan Doyle — ‘The Speckled Band’
Storyteller will bring fictional sidekick to life at Flossmoor library
Fans of British author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle may wish they could have interacted with fictional detective Sherlock Holmes or his assistant, Dr. Watson.
Storyteller Megan Wells offers the closest thing to that experience on Jan. 17 during “Arthur Conan Doyle — ‘The Speckled Band’ ” at Flossmoor Public Library.
“I dress as Watson. I tell it as Watson,” Wells said via phone from her La Grange home.
“The experience is direct address. It’s not like watching a play where it happens and you’re only a quiet observer. It’s more like Watson is actually in the room with you telling his story directly to you, so it’s a very engaging experience.
“I’m known for that interaction with the audience that makes the historical seem present.”
Wells’ telling of “The Adventure of the Speckled Band” marks a return to Flossmoor Public Library, where she has done presentations on Mary Shelley, author of “Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus,” and Maria Anna Mozart, sister of composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.
“I love the audiences at libraries. They’re always super intelligent and very engaged,” said Wells, who has been a touring storyteller since 1992.
“Storytelling for me is evolutionary. It’s the brain’s capacity to change and evolve all of what is contained within stories and storytelling. It’s the way our brains are wired so the more you listen to stories and tell stories, the more you evolve as human beings and, therefore, as culture. It moves our culture forward.”
Wells is a longtime Sherlock Holmes fan.
“I’m a puzzle solver so I always loved to watch how Sir Arthur Conan Doyle was withholding the moment. I just love reading it and watching the author work his way through Watson and Holmes,” she said.
“We all crave a problem solver and a genius. We want to know that there are leaders out there who are uncanny smart. We feel safer when we read or see Sherlock Holmes.
“‘The Speckled Band’ is Arthur Conan Doyle’s absolute favorite. I think that it’s because it’s the first time that Dr. Watson actually realized that Sherlock can be afraid. He’s courageous and masterful but he’s not superhuman,” she said. “Dr. Watson’s admiration for him increases exponentially.”
Wells started as an actress and director and also worked as a communication consultant to Fortune 500 companies before Rafe Martin encouraged her to “find stories you love and tell them” after she shared a personal story at a festival open mic where he was serving as master of ceremonies.
“I went to the National Storytelling Festival in Jonesborough, Tenn., and absolutely fell in love with the art form,” said Wells, who has been artistic director of the Ray Bradbury Storytelling Festival since 2007 and a guest artist for the Chicago Symphony Orchestra for “Once Upon a Symphony” since 2012.
“I love the immediacy the audience feels in storytelling plus it opens up a whole world of folklore, myth, literature and personal stories. I’m no longer limited to only play scripts.”
Southlanders who want to delve into storytelling do not have to go far.
“Homewood Stories is the best place to start in the area. It’s at the Ravisloe Country Club once a month on the third Tuesday,” Wells said.
“It’s new tellers and experienced tellers together for one fabulous night of storytelling. People get inspired by it. There are other storytellers there you get to meet and you find your way.”