Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre unveils full cast for world premiere of Sherlock Holmes
Joshua James and Jyuddah Jaymes lead Joel Horwood’s new play, directed by Sean Holmes, as the detective and his trusted companion return to Baker Street in a darker, more volatile reimagining.
A new Sherlock Holmes will open in Regent’s Park this spring. Joel Horwood’s original mystery receives its first staging under the direction of Sean Holmes. The production runs from 2 May to 6 June 2026. It promises a restless, fast-moving take on Conan Doyle’s world, one in which imperial London feels as unstable as the case at its centre.
Joshua James takes the title role. A familiar presence on major British stages, his theatre work includes Wolf Hall and Titus Andronicus for the RSC, as well as Stranger Things: The First Shadow in the West End. On screen, he has appeared in Black Mirror (Demon 79) and Andor. His Holmes looks set to lean into volatility rather than detachment. This is a man as much at risk of unravelling as the city around him.
Opposite him, Jyuddah Jaymes plays Dr Watson. His recent television work includes Sanditon, Hijack and Brassic, alongside stage performances at the Almeida, Young Vic and Bristol Old Vic. Here, Watson is less a passive observer than an essential counterweight. He is grounded, alert and increasingly drawn into the danger.
Horwood’s script places the story in 1890, with Holmes newly successful and already adrift. A mysterious woman and a jewel arrive at Baker Street, setting off a chain of events that pulls the pair into a widening conspiracy. The action moves across the city and along the Thames, with lives at stake and motives obscured.
Around them, a sizeable ensemble takes on multiple roles, giving the production a fluid, shape-shifting quality. Nadi Kemp-Sayfi plays Mary, drawing on extensive work with Shakespeare’s Globe and the RSC. Marcia Lecky appears as both Mrs Hudson and Lucia, bringing experience from the National Theatre and television credits including Ted Lasso and Doctor Who. Patrick Warner takes on Mycroft Holmes and Thaddeus, following appearances in The Crown and the long-running stage success The Play That Goes Wrong.
Christopher Akrill plays Sholto and Judge. He combines a career in dance and theatre with screen appearances including House of the Dragon. Andre Antonio appears as Pockets and Referee, following West End work in Get Up, Stand Up and a range of television roles. Will Brown takes on Small and Inspector Lestrade, with credits spanning Doctor Who, Call the Midwife and Endeavour.
Paolo Guidi plays Graziano and Bill, having previously appeared in The Ocean at the End of the Lane on tour. Benjamin Harrold, as Morstan, brings a background in musical theatre, with credits including Saturday Night Fever, Grease and The Bodyguard. Mervin Noronha appears as Tonga and Azad, following his run in Mean Girls in the West End. Yuyu Rau plays Lin and Nancy, combining theatre and dance work across the National Theatre and Royal Court. Theo Reece appears as Domingo, with credits including Chicago and The Spongebob Musical. Rakhee Sharma takes on Aleksandra and Padshah Begum Jahan, with recent screen work in The Long Shadow, Brassic and The Bay. Tamara Tare completes the company as Ensemble and Onstage Swing, with credits including Just For One Day – The Live Aid Musical.
The creative team brings together long-time collaborators and new voices. Composer Jherek Bischoff provides the score. Set and co-costume design is by Grace Smart, with lighting by Ryan Day. Movement is directed by Charlotte Broom, and fight direction is by Enric Ortuno. The production is likely to lean as much on physical storytelling as on deduction.
Supported by Cockayne Grants for the Arts and presented by arrangement with the Conan Doyle Estate, this Sherlock Holmes sets out not simply to revisit familiar ground. It aims to unsettle it.
Listings
Sherlock Holmes
A new mystery by Joel Horwood
Directed by Sean Holmes
Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre, Inner Circle, London NW1 4NU
2 May – 6 June 2026
Press Night: Wednesday 13 May, 7.45pm
Box Office: 0333 400 3562
openairtheatre.com
Elena Leo is the Culture & Lifestyle Editor of Ikon London Magazine.
