Sherlock Holmes and the 12 Days of Christmas follows the eponymous Sherlock Holmes as he endeavours to catch a killer whose victims are West End actors. This serial killer seems to be choosing their victims based on their connections to the song ‘The 12 Days of Christmas’. Sherlock’s investigation is assisted by friend and chronicler John Watson but interrupted by rival detective Athena Faversham and other West End performers.

As well as writing this show, Humphrey Ker and David Reed have taken on the roles of the show’s two main characters. Keeping with tradition, Ker plays an arrogant and acerbic Sherlock Holmes, while Reed maintains John Watson’s artless loyalty. Ker and Reed are known for being part of an award-winning sketch comedy group, The Penny Dreadfuls, and the chemistry they have due to their familiarity is definitely visible on stage. Other characters, such as the vibrant and raunchy pantomime Dame, played by Cameron Johnson, serve to bring life to the production, but aren’t as well-developed as Holmes and Watson.

Plotwise, this play is not as mystery focused as other pieces of Sherlock Holmes media. Despite being a whodunit, this production is much more concerned with delivering clever one-liners and gags. The stakes remain low throughout, and the reveal of the true murderer is characteristically light and silly.

With only six songs, Sherlock Holmes can’t truly be called a musical, and while the inclusion of music wasn’t out of place, it didn’t improve the show either. Although the songs were written by musical greats Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber, who also produced the scores for musicals like Jesus Christ Superstar and Evita, they weren’t especially catchy or memorable. The choreography that accompanied these songs was understandably understated; it wouldn’t make sense if the characters broke out into extravagant dance numbers while a murderer is on the loose.

The production’s set was charming and wintry, if a bit simple, but the costuming was truly magnificent. Detailed, intricate, and delightfully Victorian, costume supervisor Kay Wilson did an amazing job ensuring that each piece perfectly fit the West End actor it was placed on, whether it was a ballet dancer or a pantomime horse. Similarly, the lighting worked to convey the mood of different scenes in the show, from a slightly sombre blue to dramatic spotlights. Other technical aspects of the show, however, weren’t as seamless: actors’ microphones took a few seconds to be switched on, leading to some lines being missed, and occasionally, props would be left on stage, seemingly forgotten by stagehands.

While the show did employ timely references in its comedy, it is not a politically charged production, and it doesn’t try to be one. What jokes were made, including a shocking number of sexual innuendos, often elicited loud laughs from the audience. By leaning into the show’s pantomime elements and interacting with the audience at several points, the show succeeds in being thoroughly entertaining. Indeed, the show closes with the audience joining the cast in a carol of ‘The 12 Days of Christmas’, imbuing the theatre with the sense of festive fun that the whole murder mystery aims to produce.

Rating – 3/5

Sherlock Holmes and the 12 Days of Christmas is running at the Birmingham Rep until 18 January 2026. Tickets can be bought here.

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