'Solve this, Sherlock. It may be a game to you; it isn't to me.'

London, 1890. Fresh from the success of his first big case, Sherlock Holmes misuses his time, until an unknown woman and a mysterious jewel arrive at 221B Baker Street.

As the chase begins, and with lives on the line, can the consulting detective – and his loyal confidant, Dr John Watson – pull back the curtain on the big show and reveal the mastermind behind this deadly conspiracy?

A thrilling new adventure based on Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's immortal characters, Joel Horwood's Sherlock Holmes premiered at Regent's Park Open Air Theatre, London, in 2026, directed by Sean Holmes.

With more than forty memorable characters, it offers exciting opportunities for any drama group or theatre company looking for a new case to solve.



Joel Horwood is an award-winning playwright, director and dramaturg, whose other work for the stage includes The Ocean at the End of the Lane, Berberian Sound Studio, This Changes Everything and I Caught Crabs in Walberswick.



'A superb stage thriller... the hugely enjoyable new Sherlock Holmes adventure from playwright Joel Horwood gives you all you could possibly want... he weaves an admirably widescreen adventure that offers a homage to Conan Doyle's knotty plots, a hefty number of easter eggs, while grafting on a questing post-colonial sensibility and a few tricks nicked from Hollywood... a meaty, satisfying romp'



'Succeeds in simultaneously teasing and taking seriously the original'



'Beautifully done... Joel Horwood's script features all the Holmesian elements you could wish for... a plot that twists and turns... has an almost feverish excitement... scenes that truly entrance... The game's afoot!'



'A rollicking mystery that investigates some pleasingly unexpected angles'



'A fantastic new imagining of Sherlock Holmes that truly brings the intrigue of the detective to brilliant life on stage... plenty of fresh twists and turns... At times hilarious, other times profound... The audience is held completely captivated throughout, and there were times I gasped with sheer excitement and surprise... magnificent'



'A real humdinger of a Holmes, an intoxicating swirl through the mind of the fictional detective... Joel Horwood's update takes Conan Doyle's original The Sign of Four and liberally spices it with elements of Wilkie Collins' The Moonstone, the BBC's Sherlock and an opium dream, to create a storyline that keeps you on your toes at the same time as it leads you through a labyrinth... brilliantly inventive... while it is unashamedly cerebral – in a way that should satisfy diehard Sherlock fans – there is plenty of pure entertainment... this promises to be one of the best shows of the summer'



'Spectacular... action-packed... a dizzying array of Victorian characters... a clever denouement... there's plenty to please the legions of fans of the canonical works, but plenty too for a 21st-century audience'



'Loosely inspired by The Sign of Four, the story offers a fresh and more complex plot, covering everything from cursed treasure from the depths of the Empire to political revolt. It is a dynamic and ever-evolving narrative that leaves space for the characters to shine while keeping the audience engaged and invested in the action'



'Two and a half hours of barely controlled, but captivating chaos... it works brilliantly and unexpectedly... supremely clever... a theatrical extravaganza'