Review: Sherlock Holmes and the 12 Days of Christmas (Birmingham Rep)

Review by Daz Gale

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With plenty on offer to entertain audiences of all ages this Christmas, how do you even begin to solve the mystery of what to see? Do you opt for a play, a musical or a panto? How about all three, as Sherlock Holmes and the 12 Days of Christmas dips its toes into each for its world premiere at Birmingham Rep this Christmas. But would this festive fusion crack the case for the perfect night out? The game's afoot, so let's examine the clues...

Sherlock Holmes and the 12 Days Of Christmas is a brand new adventure for the iconic detective. It’s nearing Christmas in Victorian London, and while everyone is trying to get in the festive spirit, a series of murders is taking place across the West End, with performers dropping dead in the middle of their shows (this is the story; thankfully, no performers were injured here). Realising each death has a link to one of the twelve days of Christmas, it is down to Sherlock Holmes and Dr Watson to solve the case in a race against the clock, before the killer targets the “partridge”.

Written by Humphrey Ker and David Reed, this is a madcap adventure that doesn’t take itself too seriously, filling itself with laughs and silliness aplenty. It took a few minutes to find its feet, but once it did, the laughs kept coming thick and fast. Unashamedly stupid, it manages to bring a sense of pantomime to the story, with a fantastic use of cutting lines to random audience members (one setup about a theatre critic had me howling). With theatre playing such a prominent part in the story, it allows for some brilliant jokes to play out about the craft and the industry that any theatre lover will enjoy, though I now want to start a campaign for the “Adam Woodyatt theatre” to exist.

Kerr and Reed also take on the two leading roles as Sherlock Holmes and Dr Watson respectively. Similar to the Mischief Comedy shows, having the writers in the show allows the comedy to come through with maximum impact. They knew exactly what they had in mind when bringing their slightly absurd twist on these two iconic characters, and are the best men for the job, delivering confident performances that never risks taking itself too seriously, embracing the madness and having as much fun as the audience watching it. 

They are joined by a sensational cast, all finding the right blend of pantomime and a straight play, though there isn’t much straight about this one, to be honest. Susan Harrison delights with a frantic turn as Ernie, with John Kearns frequently hilarious as Inspector Lestrade. Deborah Tracey gets a memorable turn as Queen Victoria, ensuring the audience is always very much amused, while Cameron Johnson is a standout with his larger-than-life turn as Arthur Stone.

Phillip Breen and Becky Hope-Palmer’s direction brilliantly accentuates all of the comedic elements, matching the tone set in the writing and finding new and creative ways to elicit a good laugh. Though Mark Bailey’s set design may feel fairly simplistic and incredibly wobbly, it feels very fitting for the tongue-in-cheek nature of the story, and with all the self-referencing, the incredibly cardboard-looking set pieces add to the humour of it all.

One of the more intriguing elements of this production is the inclusion of original songs from two up-and-coming people called Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber. To be honest, the songs don’t tend to add much to the show, feeling a bit of an afterthought as their sporadic and inconsistent inclusion can be fairly confusing. Though it is a coup to get new songs from these two legends, it is only Dr Watson’s Act 2 solo ‘Houses Are Not Holmes’ that stood out, with the others failing to be memorable. Though the numbers come thick and fast at the beginning of the show, the long wait for the next number feels like a slight pacing issue, which is not a problem with the sharp dialogue, continually pushing the story along.

Sherlock Holmes and the 12 Days Of Christmas is a refreshing alternative to the tried and tested abundance of shows to check out this festive season. If your millionth viewing of A Christmas Carol has turned you into a Scrooge, or your days of enjoying pantomimes are behind you, this is the perfect offering. A great mix of different types of shows, it encapsulates the very best of theatre in a fun and feel-good production. It may not be perfect, but it doesn’t need to be, and its most successful elements are anything but elementary. A real Christmas cracker of a show, if you’re looking for a great gift for your nearest and dearest this festive season, instead of opting for two turtle doves yet again (I’m almost as sick of receiving that as a gift every Christmas as I am  the six geese a-laying, though I’ll never get bored of the ten Lords a-leaping), why not go for two tickets to this instead? Cracking the case for a great night out, I’m thrilled to say this really is a no sh*t Sherlock.

Sherlock Holmes and the 12 Days Of Christmas plays at Birmingham Rep until 18th January 2026. Tickets from https://www.birmingham-rep.co.uk/whats-on/sherlock-holmes-and-the-12-days-of-christmas/ 

Photos by Pete Le May