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Birmingham Rep in Centenary Square, Birmingham
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Watson's Rehearsal Journal #2

Elementary, My Dear Festivities!

Greetings dear readers,

Your ever-faithful Dr. Watson reporting once again from the heart of Baker Street (well, our rehearsal room, but who’s counting?).

Another week of rehearsals have passed in our sensational sleuthing seasonal adventure, Sherlock Holmes and The 12 Days of Christmas, and I must say it has been nothing short of elementary brilliance!

 

Here are my deductions from last week:

 

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Props in the Sherlock Holmes and the 12 Days of Christmas rehearsal room
Helena Wilson (Athena Faversham) lounging confidently in a ornate high backed chair.
Props in the Sherlock Holmes and the 12 Days of Christmas rehearsal room

 

 

 

 

 

Props are multiplying faster than Holmes’ theories — deerstalkers, Victorian newspapers, and enough festive décor to make Baker Street look like Santa’s grotto. It’s all coming together, and the results are rather claus for celebration!

 

 

 

 

We’ve begun polishing our biggest scenes, fine-tuning transitions, and acquainting ourselves with some new musical orchestrations — I daresay, even Holmes has been caught tapping his foot (though he’ll never admit it).

 

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The cast of Sherlock Holmes and The 12 Days of Christmas acting out a scene where they seem to be riding a sleigh or horse-drawn carriage.
The cast of Sherlock Holmes and The 12 Days of Christmas standing with hands clasped in front of their cast as if singing a carol together.
The cast of Sherlock Holmes and The 12 Days of Christmas standing with hands clasped in front of their cast as if singing a carol together.

In true detective fashion, a (hopefully) fake corpse has taken up residence in the Stage Management office. How fitting! One could almost hear Holmes declaring, “The body is merely a prop, my dear Watson.”

A prop of a dead body with a white cloth draped over it

Still, it’s enough to make one drop their teacup!

Meanwhile, backstage developments are positively criminally good. We got a sneaky look in the workshop where sets and larger props are appearing at an astonishing rate. We can’t give too much away but it’s all looking rather magnificent.

I must say this show is promising to be delightful blend of mystery, mayhem, and a little mistletoe!

Margaret Cabourn-Smith (Mrs Hudson) standing in front of parts of the Sherlock Holmes and The 12 Days of Christmas set as it's being worked on in The Rep's workshop

The game, dear friends, is well and truly afoot — too bad the footprints are roughly the size of an elf’s!

Until next time — keep your wits sharp and your Christmas spirits high.

Yours festively and as always, forensically,

Dr. John H. Watson

P.S. If this has inspired you to come along and see our festive whodunnit – book your tickets here