Meet the Initial Cast of Sherlock Holmes and The Twelve Days of Christmas
With Sherlock Holmes Day (Thu 22 May) quickly approaching, we thought what a brilliant time to reveal the initial cast venturing to 221b Baker Street this Christmas at The Rep!
Our World Premiere of Sherlock Holmes and The Twelve Days of Christmas will be here at The Rep from Fri 14 Nov 2025 – Sun 11 Jan 2026! And we deduce that you all will absolutely fall in love with the hilarious cast of this brilliant brand-new comedy whodunnit written by Edinburgh Fringe-favourites and comic geniuses, Humphrey Ker and David Reed who’ll also 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 as Mrs. Hudson. Further casting to be announced soon.
“I think you’re a couple of ice creams short of an interval, Mr. Holmes. We don’t do murders in the theatre.
It’s bad for audience numbers!”
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 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 will be directed by Phillip Breen with Becky Hope-Palmer. Further members of the creative team announced today are Mark Bailey (Designer), Anna Watson (Lighting Designer), Georgina Lamb (Movement), Renny Krupinksi (Fights) and Helena Palmer (Casting).
Sherlock Holmes and The Twelve Days of Christmas is a laugh-out-loud festive murder mystery for everyone aged 10 to 110, join us at 221b Baker Street this Christmas for mischief, mayhem and maybe a Partridge in a Pear Tree!