Spectacular Sherlock Holmes in Full Surround
“The game’s afoot!”
Sherlock Holmes
Sean Holmes’ innovative production of Joel Horwood’s new Sherlock Holmes story opens with the choreographed movement and bustle of Victorian London, exciting and atmospheric, 19th century gloom and smoke with pulsating dance music. From the centre of the British Empire we switch to Egypt in 1882 where the British and the French are reasserting their colonial power. Some men in red military uniform have found the treasure of the Moghal Empress with information from an Indian called Tonga (Mervin Nonornha) and are to make a blood pact to keep the secret. Two of these men are Morstan (Benjamin Harrold) and Sholto (Christopher Akrill).
Some eight years later we find ourselves in London in 1890 the hottest summer ever recorded, where a crowd is watching a staged fist fight between a tall man in pale blue and a professional fighter (Paulo Guidi). The tall man is Sherlock Holmes (Joshua James) and he is awaiting a murder mystery to solve. He is approached by Mary Morstan (Nadi Kemp-Sayfi), orphaned daughter of the man we met earlier from the Indian Regiment. She was educated in England at Cheltenham Ladies’ College and once a year is sent a precious jewel.
I am not going to get into more detail on Joel Horwood’s plot. Suffice it to say, it is as complicated as any Conan Doyle story and will need the brain of a Holmes to untangle the threads. It is better not to get sidetracked but let it waft over you. Of course, here at the Open Air Theatre in Regent’s Park we are a few minutes walk from Sherlock Holmes’ room at 221B Baker Street and next to London Zoo, where in 1890 some animals have escaped. The escapees include a lion on a bicycle and a tiger and a panda, who might be disguised protagonists in our story, as well as the obtrusive giraffe.
The sender of the annual jewel to Mary Morstan is the father of Thaddeus Sholto (a highly camp Patrick Warmer who doubles as Sherlock’s brother Mycroft). It appears the jewel is sent because Mr Sholto Senior killed Mary’s father. When Mr Sholto is found dead, Mary, to whom Dr Watson has taken a shine, is arrested and put into Wormwood Scrubs Prison. A subplot concerns some stolen military secrets of importance to the security of the British Empire.
There is a boat chase to try to catch someone escaping on the Aurora with half hulls, one in pursuit of the other. While Mary appears in court, Sherlock visits The Jade Dragon where his opium dealer, played by Yuyu Rau in a psychedelically designed costume who waits to seduce him into a drug fug.
A gorgeous scene at a Victorian circus has superb lighting effects, fun costumes, a red smoke canister and a stupendous fire eater (Benjamin Harrold) whose warmth from the flames was much appreciated on a cold night in May. And a snake charmer. There is a sultry singer and acrobats. It was so cold we could see the actor’s warm breath condensing so take clothes for every weather, cold, rain and maybe sun cream!
Grace Smart’s set has the beautiful proscenium arch that doubles as Tower Bridge and a flying balloon which was so cleverly done. Full marks for spectacle and that’s not counting costume designed in period. It feels expensive!
The performances have that quirky detail and Joshua James as Sherlock Holmes feels younger and zanier in the blue silk suit rather than a tedious clichéd deerstalker hat and tweeds but of course Dr Watson is traditionally dressed. We glimpse Lestrade (Will Brown) and his sidekick PCs.
I really appreciated the atmospheric scenes with eye fixing movement, the men in black suits and toppers reading broadsheets who were Mycroft Holmes’ civil servants, the chairs assembled for carriage rides and the choreographed train ride, Londoners in dark clothes hustling and bustling. Movement by Charlotte Broom. A fabulous denouement chase takes place on Tower Bridge with actors at the top rear of the stage and on the grass surrounds. It feels immersive!
The performers seem to be really enjoying the show and the audience were delighted. For the sheer vitality of Sean Holmes’ namesake piece, Theatrevibe has no hesitation in saying this is five star entertainment from the site that doesn’t do stars. I’m not sure an indoor transfer would totally work so don’t miss Sherlock Holmes this summer.
Editor of TheatreVibe.co.uk
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Production Notes
Sherlock Holmes
Written by Joel Horwood
Directed by Sean Holmes
Cast
Starring:
Joshua James
Jyuddah Jaymes
Nadi Kemp-Sayfi
Patrick Warner
Yuyu Rau
Christopher Akrill
Marcia Lecky
Rakhee Sharma
Will Brown
Paolo Guidi
Theo Reece
Tamara Tare
Mervin Noronha
Andre Antonio,
Benjamin Harrold
Creatives
Director: Sean Holmes
Set Designer: Grace Smart
Costume Designer: Lisa Aitken and Grace Smart
Lighting Designer: Ryan Day
Fight Director: Enric Ortuño
Composer : Jherek Bischoff
Sound Designer: Elena Peña
Information
Running Time: Two hours 30 minutes including the interval
Booking to 6th June 2026
Theatre:
Open Air Theatre
Inner Circle
Regents Park
London NW1 4NU
Box Office: 0333 400 3562
Tube: Baker Street
Reviewed by Lizzie Loveridge
at the Open Air Theatre, Regents Park on 13th May 2026
