The Rep – Birmingham – until Sunday 18th January 2026
Reviewed by Nadia Dodd
5*****
The Game Is Afoot… and It’s Festively Fabulous! Birmingham Rep has unwrapped an absolute cracker this season with Sherlock Holmes and The 12 Days of Christmas—a sparkling theatrical bauble that mixes mystery, music, and madcap merriment into one gloriously entertaining night out.
Humphrey Ker, doubling as co-writer and the great detective himself, delivers a Sherlock who is both razor-sharp and riotously funny. His Holmes is the sort who can deduce your shoe size and crack a perfectly timed Christmas joke all in the same breath. David Reed, also co-writer, is the ideal counterbalance as Dr. John Watson—warm, earnest, unfailingly loyal, and with comedic instincts so good they deserve their own stocking on the mantelpiece.
The supporting cast is a treasure trove of festive delights. Margaret Cabourn-Smith brings a deliciously dry wit as Mrs Hudson, Sherlock’s housekeeper who seems entirely unfazed by the chaos erupting around Baker Street. Her timing is immaculate; her presence, magnetic. Susan Harrison is a complete hoot as Ernie, popping up with such joyous silliness that every appearance feels like a bonus Christmas present for the audience.
Sherlock faces more than criminal masterminds—he faces competition. Enter Athena Faversham, a bright, brilliant, and fast-rising young detective played with infectious intelligence and freshness by Helena Wilson. Her scenes sparkle with a modern wit and a cheeky self-assuredness that constantly keeps Holmes on his toes. Their dynamic adds a delightful new twist to the detective duo we all know and love.
And then there’s Cameron Johnson as Arthur Stone—a towering performance in every sense. Johnson’s charisma fills the stage to the rafters, crafting a character so boldly drawn and so instantly engaging that he leaves one of the most memorable impressions of the entire evening. When he strides into a scene, you can practically feel the energy shift.
Visually, the production is a Christmas card come to life. The colourful stage scenery bursts with Victorian charm, lit by twinkling lights and draped with yuletide warmth. Snow scenes swirl, London glows in theatrical magic, and the entire show feels like a love letter to the capital’s legendary theatre-land at Christmastime. It’s as if someone bottled that special December enchantment and sprinkled it liberally across the Rep’s stage.
Though the show is wonderfully family-friendly, it also sprinkles in just the right number of cheeky innuendos—the sort that zoom delightfully over the heads of younger audience members while landing perfectly with the adults. It’s a clever double-layer of humour that keeps everyone entertained.
Packed with laughter, mystery, music, and festive sparkle, Sherlock Holmes and The 12 Days of Christmas is a joyful sleigh-ride of a show—clever enough for Holmes aficionados, warm and witty enough for families, and bursting with enough Christmas cheer to thaw even the iciest of villains.
In short: elementary, my dear Birmingham… and utterly extraordinary.
