Issue #53 Spring 2006
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T HE NORWEGIAN EXPLORERS OF MINNESOTA, INC. ©2006 Winter, 2006 EXPLORATIONS Issue #53 EXPLORATIONSEXPLORATIONS From the (Outgoing) President . Julie McKuras, ASH, BSI Inside this issue: Internet Explorations 2 Annual Meeting & Dinner 3 Explorer Travels 4 A New Take on Mrs. Hudson 5 Holmes and Plastic Man? 6 The English 8 A Toast to Mycroft 9 Sherlock’s Last Case 9 From the Editor’s Desk Study Group 10 n this last issue of Explorations for 2006 delivered at our annual dinner, joining I we recap our recent annual meeting and frequent contributors Mike Eckman and dinner, notable for a changing of the guard Bob Brusic as well as Study Group reviewer as Julie McKuras stepped down after an Charles Clifford. Phil Bergem continues his energetic nine years as president of the Nor- Internet Explorations, and we look forward wegian Explorers. We are sure that our new to an upcoming performance of a Sher- president, Gary Thaden, will ably carry on lockian play. in the tradition of Julie and all our past Letters to the editor or other submis- leaders, including our founder and Siger- sions for Explorations are always welcome. son, the late E.W. “Mac” McDiarmid. We Please email items in Word or plain text also note travels by Explorers to two recent format to [email protected] conferences, both of which featured speak- ers from the ranks of the Explorers. We John Bergquist, BSI welcome Ray Riethmeier as a contributor to Editor, Explorations the newsletter by printing his fine toast Page 2 EXPLORATIONS Issue #53 From the (Incoming) President Internet Explorations . “He sits motionless, like a spider in the centre of its Web…” Gary Thaden or this issue I would like to highlight the F audio side of Sherlock Holmes on the “Audio books have Internet. One site, their appeal, but lack http://www.cambridge-explorer.org.uk/ the sound effects, HBWEB/VV341/VV341.htm provides details of the radio dramatizations of modifications to the Canon and a number of pastiches. The lines and other site, developed by Hugo Brown, has not been dramatic effects updated since 2004 but it is still of interest. It which are required to provides a great deal of information laid out hold a listener’s in an easy-to-follow format with titles, broad- cast dates and actors. This is useful to anyone interest.” who has in interest in the radio production of Sherlock Holmes stories. On the subject of radio dramatizations, one of the best writers of Holmes-story drama- tizations is Bert Coules. Bert adapted a num- ber of the original stories for the BBC produc- tions originally broadcast between 1989 and 1998. A radio dramatization is quite different from simply reading the story into a micro- phone. Audio books have their appeal, but lack the sound effects, modifications to lines and other dramatic effects which are required to hold a listener’s interest. Bert Coules and other writers adapted all 60 short stories and novels for the BBC series, the only time the full Canon was performed by the same actors playing Holmes (Clive Merrison) and Watson (Michael Williams). Bert has a site, http:// www.bertcoules.co.uk/, which after a few appropriate clicks gets to the section that de- tails the BBC series, including broadcast dates, background on the actors and pictures. Bert’s site has a few sound files that can be downloaded. There is another website at http://www.sherylfranklin.com/sh- sounds.html that has a number of other sound clips from productions starring Jeremy Brett, Peter Cushing and Basil Rathbone. For those adept with computers, you can save these sound files and use them in place of the normal (and boring) noises your computer makes when it alerts you to various happen- ings. Phillip Bergem Page 3 EXPLORATIONS Issue #53 Annual Meeting and Dinner he 2006 Annual Meeting and Dinner of Pastiches: T the Norwegian Explorers was held on Julie & Mike McKuras for “The Luncheon” Thursday, December 7 at the Minneapolis Golf Michel Eckman for “Finding Miss Hunter” Club in suburban St. Louis Park. Club mem- Robert Brusic for “The Wild West” bers Wade and Mary Manthie once again re- Regina Harris for “Moriarty’s Reprise” served the attractive facilities for us. “Award-winning Toast: Stephen Cribari for “The Woman” After exchanging greetings and charging Poem: Ruth Berman for “Sherlockian Phantoms” mystery author drinks — and after Rev. Robert Brusic offered Puzzle: Francine Kitts for “Word Search” Sujata Massey an appropriate invocation — we queued up for Our evening’s speaker was the award win- charmed the the British buffet. Good comments were heard ning writer Sujata Massey. Sujata has written audience as she about the shepherd’s pie, Yorkshire pudding ten mysteries set in Japan featuring a young, recounted how she and English trifle. Dinner was punctuated by a female Japanese-American amateur detective was influenced by the series of toasts arranged by Phil Bergem: to Mrs. named Rei Shimura. Sujata’s first book was The Hudson by Pj Doyle, to Mycroft by Ray Rieth- Sherlock Holmes Salaryman’s Wife, published in 1997, and her meier (see p. 9), to Watson (a poetic toast with most recent is Girl in a Box, published this year. stories of Arthur musical accompaniment) by Karen Ellery, to Dr. Sujata charmed the audience as she recounted Conan Doyle.” Watson’s Second Wife by Ken Timoner, and to how she was influenced by the Sherlock Holmes The Woman by Garry Peterson. stories of Arthur Conan Doyle. One of the val- After din- ues she picked up from Conan Doyle is that ner came the “the things that are routine are the things that business meet- are true and that are worth writing about.” Sen- ing. Mike Eck- sationalism is not necessary for a compelling man read the story. Like Holmes (at least usually), her detec- slate of officers tive solves mysteries through intelligence rather and board the use of force. Pat Frovarp and Gary Schulz of members, all of Once Upon a Crime mystery bookshop had whom were Sujata’s books for sale at the dinner, and they elected unani- seemed to do a brisk business. After her talk, mously. The Julie and Gary Sujata sat and chatted with many book buyers slate was identi- as she graciously autographed their purchases. cal to last year’s with one notable exception: Paul Martin did a “Stand Upon the Ter- Gary Thaden is the new president, taking over race” for the three members of the Explorers for Julie McKuras, who served ably for nine who passed beyond the Reichenbach since our years — longer than any other president except The buffet line last annual meeting: Allen Mackler, Bob Shultz for our founder and Sigerson, E.W. “Mac” and Maureen Green. Paul also noted the pass- McDiarmid. Gary presented Julie with a token ing of Emerson Wulling, who while not a mem- of appreciation for her many years of service. ber of the Explorers was nonetheless instrumen- Dick Sveum presented a certificate for tal in putting us on the map by way of his splen- membership in the Sigerson Society to the Nor- did printing of our fine-press publications over wegian Explorers, who have pledged to give a the years. total of $10,000 over the next few years to the Julie McKuras led the quiz she had pre- fund for the E.W. McDiarmid Curatorship at pared on Canonical Women, and a person the University of Minnesota Library. from each table read the gag captions and limer- John Bergquist presented this year’s Siger- icks they had composed for the Holmesian illus- son Awards to the following contributors to the trations supplied by Bob Brusic. 2006 Christmas Annual, whose theme is Gary Thaden closed the gathering with a Sujata signs a book “Women in the Canon.” recitation of Bill Schweickert’s “When I Spend Essay: Sue Vizoskie for “Georgina” a Long Evening with Holmes.” Article: Dayna McCausland for “Victorian Villainesses” John Bergquist, BSI Page 4 EXPLORATIONS Issue #53 Explorer Travels everal Norwegian Explorers were able to S attend two major Sherlockian/Doylean events in October to hear their fellow members present talks. On the weekend of October 6–7, Julie and Mike McKuras, Dr. C. Paul and Carole Martin, Dr. Richard Sveum, and John The organizing Bergquist all traveled to Chicago for the Sher- committee for lock Holmes-Sir Arthur Conan Doyle Collo- “ACD@35” is to be quium “Re-Collections” at the Newberry commended for Library, home to the C. Frederick Kittle Collec- putting on a tion of Doyleana. Among the speakers for the Saturday event was Paul Martin, who presented smoothly run, his talk “Dr. Arthur Conan Doyle: A Self Por- Conference attendees touring the Arthur informative yet trait.” All had been invited the previous evening Conan Doyle room in the Toronto entertaining event. to the annual dinner of the Hounds of the Public Library Baskerville (sic), one of the longest-lived scion societies of the Baker Street Irregulars, where and His Creations: A Self Portrait” and Dick we enjoyed talks by Jon Sveum, who presented his talk “A Duet: with Lellenberg and Ely Lie- occasional autobiography.” An exhibition of bow. After the dinner, treasures from the Collection was on display in Paul and his fellow col- the gallery on the main floor of the library loquium speakers, Glen throughout the conference. Chairman Cliff Miranker and Dan Pos- Goldfarb and the other members of the or- nansky, were interviewed over WGN radio. A scant two weeks later, Paul, Dick, Julie, John, Gary Thaden, and Pat Nelson journeyed to Toronto for “ACD@35,” billed by Drs.