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From the Arthur Conan Doyle Encyclopedia:
Under the Clock (An Extravaganza, in one act) is a British play written by Charles Brookfield and Seymour Hicks, performed on 25 november 1893 at 10pm as the third part of the evening triple bill (after plays Good-Bye at 8.15pm by Seymour Hicks, and Faithful James at 9pm by B. C. Stephenson) at Royal Court Theatre (London, UK), starring Charles Brookfield as Sherlock Holmes and Seymour Hicks as Dr. Watson.
This is the first play with the character Sherlock Holmes.
Holmes and Watson are in their sanctum when the servant announces a visitor, who proves to be M. Emile Zola (here called M. Emile Nana). Sherlock Holmes, with his usual tendency to discover some deep plot, mystery or crime in the actions of every person with whom he comes in contact, refuses to believe in the amiable professions of M. Zola - or Nana - and arranges with the maidservant Hannah to adopt a series of disguises while he and his friend will follow closely in the wake of the Frenchman, and keep the strictest watch upon his movements. The Parisian visitor has received an invitation to meet the Lord Mayor, and at his Lordship's official residence the fun becomes most amusing, taking the form of parodies of all the principal stages successes of the season.
FROM WIKIPEDIA:
Sherlock Holmes (/ˈʃɜːrlɒk ˈhoʊmz/) is a fictional detective created by British author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Referring to himself as a "consulting detective" in the stories, Holmes is known for his proficiency with observation, deduction, forensic science and logical reasoning that borders on the fantastic, which he employs when investigating cases for a wide variety of clients, including Scotland Yard.
First appearing in print in 1887's A Study in Scarlet, the character's popularity became widespread with the first series of short stories in The Strand Magazine, beginning with "A Scandal in Bohemia" in 1891; additional tales appeared from then until 1927, eventually totalling four novels and 56 short stories. All but one[a] are set in the Victorian or Edwardian eras, between about 1880 and 1914. Most are narrated by the character of Holmes's friend and biographer Dr. John H. Watson, who usually accompanies Holmes during his investigations and often shares quarters with him at the address of 221B Baker Street, London, where many of the stories begin.
Though not the first fictional detective, Sherlock Holmes is arguably the best known.[1] By the 1990s there were already over 25,000 stage adaptations, films, television productions and publications featuring the detective,[2] and Guinness World Records lists him as the most portrayed literary human character in film and television history.[3] Holmes's popularity and fame are such that many have believed him to be not a fictional character but a real individual;[4][5][6] numerous literary and fan societies have been founded on this pretence. Avid readers of the Holmes stories helped create the modern practice of fandom.[7] The character and stories have had a profound and lasting effect on mystery writing and popular culture as a whole, with the original tales as well as thousands written by authors other than Conan Doyle being adapted into stage and radio plays, television, films, video games, and other media for over one hundred years.