Nadi Kemp‑Sayfi appears in the world premiere of Sherlock Holmes, a new stage mystery written by Joel Horwood and directed by Sean Holmes, opening as part of Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre’s 2026 summer season.
This fresh adaptation of the iconic detective story plunges audiences into Victorian London, combining high‑stakes intrigue with inventive storytelling in one of London’s most distinctive outdoor theatre settings.
Nadi Kemp‑Sayfi stars as Mary, with Sherlock Holmes running from 2 May to 6 June 2026. Tickets and full performance details are available here.
You’re starring in Sherlock Holmes at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre, what can you tell us about the show?
Whether you’re a devotee of the original Sherlock stories, a fan of the TV adaptations, or completely new to this iconic character, this is theatre spectacle at its most playful and ingenious.
We’re inside the mind of the world’s most famous mastermind, and this production is quick, witty, unexpected and as brilliant as Holmes himself.
You play Mary in this new version of Sherlock Holmes. How does this reimagining present the character, and what excited you most about taking on the role?
Unlike some of the other stories and adaptations, Mary takes a central role in the plot of this new mystery.
I’ve loved exploring all the ways my character contributes to making Holmes and Watson the legends they become, and how her introduction to the team catapults them into a whole new world of detective adventure.
This production is a brand-new mystery by Joel Horwood. What feels distinctive about the storytelling and tone of this adaptation compared to more familiar Holmes stories?
This play takes full advantage of a dynamic range only possible in live theatre, sweeping the audience along for every step and twist of the investigation.
A rich ensemble conjure Sherlock’s deductions around him in 3D, so that the genius’s thought processes are brought to life with thrilling pace and precision.
As the ensemble populate the London of 1890 with all the context and quirks from the Holmes canon, this play gives you all the clues, and invites you to turn detective and interrogate the mystery for yourself.
What has it been like working with director Sean Holmes and such a large ensemble cast on a world premiere?
Sean is the rare kind of director who seems to have no ego and nothing to prove. Simply: he loves theatre and the people who make it.
He prizes and trusts every contributor across the entire company and creative team, cultivating a rehearsal room abounding in spirited, rigorous invention.
Sean works with a collaborativeness and transparency that invites us all in to his remarkable vision, and proves just how ambitious and joyful making a show can really be.
Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre is a unique performance space. How does performing outdoors shape the way you approach the role or connect with the audience?
Performing this play at Regent’s Park brings Sherlock Holmes, a now internationally loved character, back home to his old stomping ground.
We’re a stone’s throw from 221B Baker Street as we perform the play, and the whole production is built to embrace the physical context of our stage in the centre of this iconic park.
This area, and all its Londoners and visitors, are an enormous part of our story, so playing with the real environment and the audience on the day is baked into our production.
What would you say to anyone thinking of booking to see Sherlock Holmes?
This show, I’d say book once and then book again.
Like any great crime thriller, there are so many details threaded through the show to reward the second time viewer.
