Sherlock Holmes and the 12 Days of Christmas is festive, farcical and fiendishly funny, running until Sunday 18 January at the Birmingham Rep. The play is penned by the Penny Dreadfuls’ Humphrey Ker and David Reed - who also star in the coveted lead roles of super sleuth Sherlock Holmes (Ker), and Doctor Watson, his faithful publicist (Reed). The play is sprinkled with musical numbers by none other than Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd-Webber, and the script is witty enough to fulfil all your Christmas wishes of fun and frivolity. 

To set the scene - as this is a brand new Holmsian mystery - the great detective returns to London to discover that a series of mysterious deaths have been plaguing the stages of the West End. Holmes sweeps onto the scene and ascertains that the deaths are connected by that numerically challenging gift catalogue of a carol, The 12 Days of Christmas.

What follows is a deliciously convoluted romp, affectionately poking fun at detective stories, the world of theatre, and - sometimes literally - peering beyond the curtain to have a pop at the audience. 

Humphrey Ker and David Reed are everything you could want from a detective double act - the former brimming with pompous swagger, and the latter maintaining a wry, moustachioed, stiff-upper-lip. Until he doesn’t… They share quickfire banter, perfectly pitched physical comedy, and plenty of homoerotic undertones which never stray into becoming seedy - they’re both likeable and laughable in equal measure. Reed in particular also shows off his vocal talents, in two numbers.

The pair are surrounded by a multi-talented company, who enhance the quick-witted comedy. Helena Wilson matches Sherlock as Athena Faversham - a rival consulting detective, who has the audacity to be a woman, and Margaret Cabourn-Smith is hilarious as Holmes and Watson’s housekeeper, Mrs Hudson. 

Susan Harrison is ferocious as streetwise urchin, Ernie, and John Kearns comes close to stealing the show, playing long-suffering Inspector Lestrade - although it helps that he’s been given some of the best lines in the play, all delivered to perfection.

The remaining cast - Cameron Johnson as the dazzling Dame Arthur Stone, Christian Andrews, Mia Overfield, Amanda Lindgren, Andrew Pugsley, Chomba S Taulo and Deborah Tracey - are a rag-tag collection of West End theatricals, who wear many hats and start the show together, singing the catchy opening number, Christmas Lights.

It’s a sparkling production, which is visually stunning and full of big laughs - which all adds up to the perfect festive treat. And don’t fret, the seasonal good cheer is woven into the production from start to finish. As soon as snow starts to fall across the Rep’s stage, over a picture-perfect Victorian landscape, it’s clear that Christmas is here. 

Five Stars

Sherlock Holmes and the 12 Days of Christmas was reviewed by Jessica Clixby on Thursday 21 November at The Rep, Birmingham, where it shows until Sunday 18 January