Sherlock Holmes and the 12 Days of Christmas
★★★★
Time to brush up on your Christmas Carols and don your deerstalkers to join Holmes and Watson on this festive adventure. With West End performers being killed and no killer in sight, can Sherlock Holmes and John Watson save Christmas before the partridge gets it? The Birmingham Rep is set for the festive season with this new production by Humphrey Ker and David Reed featuring songs from Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice.
*POSSIBLE SPOILERS AHEAD*
Content Warnings:
The show has warnings displayed on the walls as you enter the auditorium and at the box office, which are as follows:
Gunshot Sound Effects
Gun Usage Onstage
Haze
Moderate Language
I felt that there were other warnings worth mentioning, which were as follows:
Blackout
Moments of Suspense
Adult Themes
Use of a Guillotine
Light into the Audience During a Tense Moment
My Review:
The perfect show to get into the Christmas spirit this festive season, with constant laughs, seamlessly cut with tense moments, this show is a hit. Filled with twists and turns at every corner, will you be able to solve this Christmas murder mystery before the famous Sherlock Holmes and John Watson or newcomer Athena Faversham?
The Birmingham Rep is a lovely theatre, and I was delighted to be able to return to see this production. However, throughout the show, I struggled with the clarity of voices, which caused me to miss moments of dialogue and especially moments of song. Fortunately, this did not reduce the experience I had watching Sherlock Holmes and the 12 Days of Christmas, as I was still able to enjoy the show overall.
All of the sets included in this show were so detailed and helped further immerse me into the world of Holmes and Watson and the mystery that was unfolding in front of me. The design that Mark Bailey has created for this show was nothing short of amazing, as the intricacy and suitability of each set for each scene helped further fuel the storytelling that this show relied on. Furthermore, the sets allowed not only the cast to interact with them but also the audience to be engaged by them, as there was always something to read or see that related to the mystery of the 12 Days of Christmas murders.
The writing of Humphrey Ker and David Reed was reminiscent of the works of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, whilst also standing out as an individual creation. This balance allowed me, as someone who enjoys most things related to Sherlock Holmes, to be invested in this production and the outcome of the mystery. The plot was easy to follow whilst maintaining intrigue and keeping me questioning... I had no clue who the perpetrator was until the reveal, which was brilliant, as I was so sure I had suspected the right person. Their incorporation of the use of physical theatre and tricks throughout allowed for scenes such as the shocking guillotining of a character and acts of diversion using a torch shone into the audience, so what is happening on stage during the blackout remains unknown. My only criticism of the entire show is that some moments felt as though they were missing something that I can’t place; however, this was minor, and my overall experience of the show was total enjoyment and laughter.
Opening with the ensemble, the show brings the audience straight into the heart of London’s West End at Christmas Time. The ensemble of the show features Mia Overfield (Clifford), Chomba S. Taulo (Wifford), Andrew Pugsley (Wotan), Christian Andrews (Fafner), Amanda Lindgreen (Estella) and Deborah Tracey (Queen Victoria). The opening song sets a light-hearted tone of a joyous West End Christmas, but this illusion is quickly shattered as the first murder occurs, ending this scene and beginning the transition into the next scene, where we meet John Watson (David Reed) and Mrs Hudson (Margaret Cabourn-Smith). From the first moment I saw Margaret Cabourn-Smith, I knew she was well-suited for the role of Mrs Hudson, and this was solidified by her every scene. She captured the comedy and spontaneity that Mrs Hudson brings to any Sherlock Holmes story, whilst also remaining the voice of reason throughout. David Reed was wonderfully entertaining as Watson, delivering some of the most iconic lines, in my opinion and leaving me in stitches every time. He is brilliant in this role, and he brought the character to life in such an enjoyable way that you couldn’t help but watch for his mannerisms and more subtle aspects of his portrayal. He also exhibited excellent vocals, which shone during his various songs, and I thoroughly enjoyed listening to him sing. Humphrey Ker was perfect as the puzzle-loving, quick-witted detective Sherlock Holmes. He captured the cunning, occasionally self-important nature of Sherlock with ease and was perfectly countered by David Reed as John Watson. His annoyance at the appearance of a new detective on the case was hilarious and showed his disdain for any form of competition, both regarding the job as well as the attention of John Watson. I was engaged by his characterisation throughout, and it felt reminiscent whilst being a unique portrayal, which I think is what made Humphrey Ker so wonderful to watch in this role. Assisting Sherlock on his attempt to solve the mystery was also Ernie (Susan Harrison). Susan Harrison was brilliant in this role, bringing the forward but loveable urchin boy Ernie to life. Her interactions with various cast members, particularly Inspector Lestrade (John Kearns), were fabulous to watch and always left me laughing and with a smile on my face. Past her interactions, Susan Harrison also has a wonderful voice, which was a delight to listen to throughout the show. John Kearns brought the overwrought Inspector Lestrade to life, and his disdain at certain aspects of his job had me in stitches. He countered the calm and collected nature of Sherlock, allowing the audience an insight into how overwhelming his job felt to him, and this added to the plot and the suspense about whether anyone was ever going to catch the 12 Days of Christmas Killer. Alongside Sherlock and his team, there was another detective on the case, much to Sherlock's dismay. Of course, I am talking of Athena Faversham (Helena Wilson), who captured my interest and intrigue from the first moment she came on stage. I was interested in the appearance of a new detective, and I thoroughly enjoyed how she was able to create an equal competitor for Sherlock, causing him to become more brazen when trying to solve the case and potentially leading him to take more risks. Her characterisation was nothing short of incredible, and I was impressed by how easily she established Athena Faversham and her backstory without it feeling forced. Her interactions with John Watson were particularly enjoyable to watch, and the nods to the similarities of her home and Sherlock’s (definitely not the same set) were the perfect balance of comedic and general conversation, which allowed it to feel like offhand comments from Watson rather than obvious jokes. Cameron Johson was fabulous as Arthur Stone, the panto dame, and I especially enjoyed the character development he brought to his performance and his consideration of the character’s backstory when performing certain scenes. He captured and held the audience’s attention from start to finish, and I enjoyed watching his performance flourish on stage. I liked how this show was able to incorporate the Christmas tradition of pantomime without it becoming an overarching theme or making the entire show a pantomime. It felt well-embedded and added to the main plot rather than distracting from it.
All members of the ensemble played various characters throughout, allowing their individual talents to shine. This acted to aid the main plot and allow other subplots, such as Estella's questionable acting status, to be brought to the forefront, further engaging the audience. They all had fabulous vocals, and I especially enjoyed how songs were written to afford them all solo moments to showcase their skill. There were two stand-out performances for me during this show, and they were delivered by Helena Wilson as Athena Faversham and Susan Harrison as Ernie. Both performers perfectly captured their characters and gave them rich characterisation, allowing them to feel as known to me as Sherlock Holmes, John Watson, Mrs Hudson and Inspector Lestrade from the first moment they were introduced on stage.
This certainly is one to watch this festive season, so best hurry, Watson and get booking tickets!
Thank you for taking the time to read and I hope this review has proved interesting and helpful for you :)
- AnxiousTheatregoer
