Sherlock Holmes and The 12 Days of Christmas – Birmingham REP

Writers: Humphrey Ker and David Reed

Original Songs: Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber

Director: Phillip Breen with Becky Hope-Palmer

It’s Victorian London, and a sinister serial killer is on the loose, striking seemingly at random. No, not THAT one, this particular villain is targeting performers from the West End’s Christmas shows, each linked to one of the twelve days of Christmas. The latest casualty? A swan from Swan Lake. Who could be next? And who will play ‘The Partridge’, destined as the final victim and centrepiece of the killer’s plot? It’s time for Sherlock Holmes, Consulting Detective, fresh from his travels in Germany, to step in. And who is the mysterious new consulting detective on the block, Athena Faversham, with whom Holmes competes to solve the crime?

This is the unlikely premise of Sherlock Holmes and The 12 Days of Christmas. As a detective story, it’s supremely silly, but does work, with the clues to the dastardly fiend and their motivation spread amongst the red herrings so that one kicks oneself at the ultimate dénouement. But little of that matters: this addition to the Holmes canon is FUN, and is the perfect Christmas show at the Rep.

The writers, Humphrey Ker and David Reed (who also play Holmes and Watson, respectively) have a long collaborative history to draw on, including as improvisers, Edinburgh Festival Fringe successes and as part of the sketch troupe ‘The Penny Dreadfuls’. The show has been a long time coming, having its gestation interrupted by the Covid lockdown of 2020, amongst other things, but benefits from their relationship with plenty of quickfire gags, running jokes (watch out for the pair of police constables and Baker Street Irregular, Ernie) and some gentle pokes at latter-day sensibilities. Despite the difficulties of collaborating across continents, Ker and Reed created an absolute cracker that absolutely deserves more lives at Christmases Future.

While it’s not a musical, there are songs, and these come from the pens of Andrew Lloyd-Webber and Tim Rice in a long-awaited reunion. These are performed with gusto with accompanying energetic dance routines, but are not especially memorable themselves, despite being well-written and witty. The exception, perhaps, is Watson’s lament, Houses are not Holmes, when he reviews the relationship between the two men.

As Holmes, Ker is brilliantly aloof and superior, demonstrating all the idiosyncrasies of the original, including a total lack of empathy despite his legendary ability to observe, and an apparent inability to share his developing ideas. Ker’s performance as the totally self-centred detective is both over-the-top and entirely believable. Reed’s Watson certainly hangs on to Holmes’ coattails but serves more than just a foil for Holmes’ brilliance as we get to know the man and his past. Reed also has a very fine and rich singing voice.

Margaret Cabourn-Smith is the no-nonsense Mrs Hudson, while Helena Wilson positively glories in her role as an alternative Holmes, Athena Faversham.

Cameron Stone is great as the tyrannical panto dame, Dame Arthur Strong, with superb physicality, while John Kearns’ self-deprecating Le Strade is a joy as he forever puts himself down. Providing much of the comic light relief is Ernie (Susan Harrison), playing with some murder mystery tropes and generally being a stereotypical chirpy Cockney.

A well-designed and constructed set from Mark Bailey captures the feel of the time and the show, enabling swift transitions and the occasional visual gag.

Overall, in the traditions of Birmingham Rep, Sherlock Holmes and The 12 Days of Christmas is festive fun: pantomimic, but not pantomime; it comes highly recommended.

Runs until 18 January 2026