Elementary, My Dear Christmas!

Birmingham Rep is thrilled to announce key casting news for the much-anticipated World Premiere of Sherlock Holmes and The Twelve Days of Christmas,a new play with songs,coming to The Rep from Friday 14 November 2025 – Sunday 11 January 2026.

It’s Christmas in Victorian London but in the West End – where dreams come true and nothing bad ever happens – a flurry of performers are suddenly dying mid-scene. Scotland Yard rules out foul play…  until the world’s greatest consulting detective, Sherlock Holmes, discovers an intriguing link to The Twelve Days of Christmas. The game is afoot! 

Racing against the clock to save French Hens, find Gold Rings and rescue Mother Goose, Sherlock plunges himself into mortal danger.  Will this really be the last stand for our hero or will his trusty sidekick Dr Watson and rival hotshot detective Athena Faversham ensure he lives to consume another Christmas Pudding…? 

Humphrey Ker and David Reed, the co-writers of the new comedy whodunnit that begins performances at Birmingham Rep in November 2025, will be playing Sherlock Holmes and Dr Watson respectively.  They are joined by award-winning comedian and actor John Kearns as Inspector Lestrade and comedy actress and podcaster Margaret Cabourn-Smith. Further casting to be announced soon

Humphrey Ker said: “As diehard Sherlock Holmes fans, Dave and I are absolutely delighted to have tricked the Birmingham Rep into allowing us to write and star in a wildly silly Holmes and Watson adventure. And to do it with such beloved friends and collaborators in Margaret, John, Tim, Andrew and directing superstar Phil Breen is the stuff of dreams. Can’t wait to don the deerstalker and BECOME Sherlock Holmes.”

David Reed added. “Humphrey and I have been obsessed with the characters of Holmes and Watson ever since we met on a stage in Edinburgh some 20 years ago. We pastiched them in our first radio series The Brothers Faversham and crowbarred them into our turns on BBC Two improvised sketch show Fast & Loose. To now get to play them in earnest is quite honestly a dream come true. And to be joined by the cosmic comedic talents of Margaret Cabourn-Smith and John Kearns as Mrs Hudson and Lestrade is preposterous good fortune. I can’t quite believe it’s real, but barring being framed for a series of genuine murders and having to become fugitives from the law, it appears to be actually happening. I’m pinching myself daily. Incredibly exciting.”

Sherlock Holmes and The Twelve Days of Christmas features original songs by the legendary musical theatre duo Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber.

Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber said: “Sherlock Holmes and The Twelve Days of Christmas is pure mischief. It has the exuberance of a Christmas tree, the joy of a panto and a plot worthy of Conan Doyle. It’s wonderful to be working together again on something so unashamedly fun.”

Sherlock Holmes and the Twelve Days of Christmas will be directed by Phillip Breen with Becky Hope-Palmer. Phillip Breen is currently directing Anna Karenina at Chichester Festival Theatre. His previous credits include Crime and Punishment in Sham Shui Po, Hong Kong Arts Festivaland The Comedy of Errors for the RSC.  Becky Hope-Palmer’s credits include Letters to Our Future Government forTraverse Theatre, Romeo and Juliet for Petersfield Shakespeare Festival and Bridezilla and the Orchard of Sin for The Traverse Theare/Play and a Pint.

Further members of the creative team announced are Mark Bailey (Designer), Anna Watson (Lighting Designer), Georgina Lamb (Movement), Renny Krupinksi (Fights) and Helena Palmer (Casting).

Sherlock and the 12 Days of Christmas is a Birmingham Rep production.

Originated and developed by Donald Rice and Eva Rice for Heartaches Limited.

A laugh-out-loud festive murder mystery for all the family, join us at 221b Baker Street this Christmas for mischief, mayhem and a Partridge in a Pear Tree! 

For ages 10 to 110! 

Coming to The Rep from Friday 14 November 2025 – Sunday 11 January 2026.

To book simply visit Birmingham Rep at birmingham-rep.co.uk or call the Box Office on 0121 236 4455 (Monday to Friday from 12pm to 6pm. Saturdays 12pm to 6pm, or 4pm if there is no evening performance scheduled).

*Sherlock Holmes Day is an annual celebration, marked on the birthday of the detective’s creator, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.

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Who Is Andrew “The Guvnor” of Theatre Village? (As delivered by Grace Hatchell, 2nd Act Couriers, First Class & Slightly Nosy Service) Now then… if you’ve spent any time wandering through Theatre Village, you’ll have felt it. That hum. That buzz. That sense that somewhere, behind the curtain, someone’s pulling the strings, brewing the tea, and making sure the spotlight actually turns on. That, my lovely lot, would be Andrew. Or as I’ve taken to calling him… The Guvnor. I

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