{"version":1,"type":"rich","provider_name":"Libsyn","provider_url":"https:\/\/www.libsyn.com","height":90,"width":600,"title":"Sherlock Holmes and the 12 Days of Christmas","description":" \u201cParticularly bright and joyous\u201d [THOR]  Forget about the silence you might think is suggested by the word \u201cpantomime.\u201d British panto is a raucous, musical, holiday tradition that expects the audience to be as loud as possible, booing the villain and cheering the hero. It\u2019s usually a comic, theatrical retelling of a fairy tale \u2014 like Cinderella or Aladdin \u2014 with slapstick for the kids, cheeky innuendo for the adults, and a cast that includes a campy "Dame" (a man in an over-the-top dress).  Now Holmes, Watson, and the world of 221B have been lovingly added to the panto tradition in Sherlock Holmes and the 12 Days of Christmas, playing through January 18, 2026, at England\u2019s Birmingham Rep. The show is also a genuine whodunnit: West End stars are being murdered in mid performance. Can Sherlock Holmes solve the case? It\u2019s all the work of our guests Humphrey Ker and David Reed, writers and stars whose love of the Victorian Age, history, and classic literature has infused almost twenty years of collaboration. You\u2019ll hear about their work creating radio plays for the BBC, stage shows for the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, and their adventures as two-thirds of the comedy troupe \u201cThe Penny Dreadfuls.\u201d  You\u2019ll also learn how Sherlock Holmes and the 12 Days of Christmas came about, and how it came to inspire new songs by Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber \u2014 creators of some of the most enduring musicals in history. Then it\u2019s on to our review of Sherlockian society activities in the second half of January in "The Learned Societies" segment. The remarkable Madeline Quinones caps her series of Holmesian podcast reviews with her final report in \u201cA Chance of Listening,\u201d with our thanks and admiration. And the Canonical Couplet quiz tests your Sherlock Holmes knowledge, with a prize from the IHOSE vaults for the winner. Send your answer to comment @ihearofsherlock.com by December 14, 2025 at 11:59 a.m. EST. All listeners are eligible to play. As a reminder, our supporters can listen to the show ad-free and have access to occasional bonus material. Join us on the platform of your choice (Patreon | Substack). And if you need some show swag or gift ideas, check out our Merch Store, with mugs, notepads and more.   Leave I Hear of Sherlock Everywhere a five-star rating on Apple Podcasts and Spotify; listen to us wherever you listen to podcasts.   Links Sherlock Holmes and the 12 Days of Christmas (Birmingham Rep) Humphrey Ker (Wikipedia) David Reed The Penny Dreadfuls Episodes mentioned in this show: Episode 259: Sketches of Scions Other links: A Chance of Listening: Genius and Sherlock Holmes Short Stories Madeline's podcast: Dynamics of a Podcast The Learned Societies: Sherlockian Calendar I Hear of Sherlock Everywhere \/ Trifles Merch Store     Explore more here. Find all of our relevant links and social accounts at linktr.ee\/ihearofsherlock.   And would you consider leaving us a rating and or a review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or Goodpods? It would help other Sherlockians find us. Your thoughts on the show? Leave a comment below, send us an email (comment AT ihearofsherlock DOT com), call us at 5-1895-221B-5. That's (518) 952-2125.   ","author_name":"I Hear of Sherlock Everywhere","author_url":"http:\/\/www.ihearofsherlock.com\/","html":"