A Sherlock Carol
For the festive season, the Barn Theatre is proud to present a production for all the family: Mark Shanahan's A Sherlock Carol, opening on 12th December 2025.
The show offers a dramatic and musical experience that captures the warmth and light of a traditional Victorian Christmas, while appealing to 21st-century playgoers through modern stagecraft and an intriguing murder mystery. It's not a pantomime, but with a nod to old time music hall, audience participation in the songs is encouraged!
The story is an artful mashup of much-loved characters and episodes from the imaginative worlds of Charles Dickens and Arthur Conan Doyle, with some ingenious twists. At the start, Sherlock Holmes has lost his mojo; having defeated his arch-nemesis Moriarity at the Reichenbach Falls, he has lost his taste for sleuthing and descended into melancholy. It takes a supernatural apparition – none other than the ghost of Ebenezer Scrooge himself – to get him back on track. For Scrooge died in suspicious circumstances and it will require some serious detective work to clear away the mists surrounding his demise.
Sprawling Victorian London is the setting, teeming with inhabitants and shrouded in fog. With its rapid scene changes and long list of characters, the script evokes the scale and complexity of the metropolis, a theatrical challenge that director Hannah Sayer relished. The show is both extremely dynamic and carefully choreographed; expect rapid-fire costume and prop changes as the actors switch roles and much use of revolving stages to convey movement between scenes. It is fortunate that Hannah has a cast of seasoned performers to work with, many of whom will be familiar from previous productions at the Barn Theatre.
The show is accessible for all ages, and no special knowledge of Dickens or Conan Doyle is required to enjoy it. At the same time, literature enthusiasts will not be disappointed (Hannah and production manager Sarah Kerr are fans of the authors and wanted to do them justice). The script is full of hidden references and delightful little touches. Familiar character arcs get extended in ingenious ways and well-known episodes are seen in a different light.
What is more, while completely entering into the pleasures of the festive season, Shanahan's script takes its lead from Dickens and Conan Doyle to say something important about this time of year. Hannah and Sarah are well aware of the psychological strain that winter places on almost everyone and the way that for many people it can be a time of loneliness and isolation. Holmes, like Scrooge in A Christmas Carol, has demons to wrestle with; by deftly aligning the two characters, the play makes both of them, and their predicaments, relatable in ways that they were not before.
A Sherlock Carol combines energy with warmth, song, intrigue, and laughter. It will delight all ages and offer much-needed encouragement in the depth of midwinter. Bring your deerstalker and your magnifying glass – there is a mystery to solve – but also be ready for cheer and goodwill aplenty.
A Sherlock Carol runs at the Barn Theatre from Friday 12th to Saturday 20th December, evenings 8pm, matinee on 20th December, 2.30pm.
Tickets cost £16 from Barn Theatre box office on 01707 324300 or online at www.barntheatre.co.uk
| Dates & Tickets | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Fri 12th Dec | 20:00 | Barn Theatre | |
| Sat 13th Dec | 20:00 | Barn Theatre | |
| Sun 14th Dec | 20:00 | Barn Theatre | |
| Mon 15th Dec | 20:00 | Barn Theatre | |
| Tue 16th Dec | 20:00 | Barn Theatre | |
| Wed 17th Dec | 20:00 | Barn Theatre | |
| Thu 18th Dec | 20:00 | Barn Theatre | |
| Fri 19th Dec | 20:00 | Barn Theatre | |
| Sat 20th Dec | 20:00 | Barn Theatre | |