Theatre Review: Inspector Morse House of Ghosts at Theatre Royal

For those that weren’t of age in the 1980s and 1990s, Inspector Morse was a big deal. It began as a series of thirteen novels by Colin Dexter released between 1975 and 1999. However, Morse - what was his first name again? -  really became part of the national zeitgeist as an ITV drama series released between 1987 and 2000. 

Set in Oxford, it followed the adventures of a hyper-intelligent, grumpy, boozy and anti-social murder detective. The original TV series, helped to re-write the rules of a British drama series; it was longer than the usual (2 hour episodes!) and where other crime dramas reverted to gratuitous sex and violence, Morse went deep on the plot and characters; with barely a flash of blood or boob across the whole run. In 2018 Inspector Morse was named as the greatest British TV Crime Drama of all time by Radio Times readers. It also spawned two spin-off TV series’ in; Endeavour (2012-2023) and Lewis (2006-2015). Over the years Morse has also been made into radio dramas and here, for only the second time a stage show.

Inspector Morse - House of Ghosts, is a mystery that begins when a talented young actress suddenly dies on stage during a performance. What begins as a suspicious death inquiry takes a darker turn when the inspector, together with his trusty sidekick DS Lewis, uncovers a connection to sinister events that happened in his own past. The circle of suspicion pivots around events and acquaintances of his from twenty-five years earlier, just before he dropped out of his studies at Oxford University.

Taking the lead role of Morse is Tom Chambers, star of TV’s Holby City, Waterloo Road and Inspector Brown (and also winner of 2008's Strictly Come Dancing). For Morse aficionados his version of the character fits somewhere in the years between the young Morse portrayed by Shaun Evans in Endeavour and the older more cynical version made iconic by John Thaw. He’s got more of a theatrical panache than both of those and is affable and enjoyable in the role. 

Tachia Newall plays the trusty sidekick Lewis and appears to have reinvented the character rather than taking too much inspiration from Kevin Whately’s version. He provides the main sense of humour in a production you wouldn't necessarily expect to have one. There are also nods to a future with widespread internet, mobile phones and DNA evidence in it – all of which would have made life much easier as a detective in the 1980s.  

The play is written by Alma Cullen who scripted many episodes of the TV series and directed by theatre veteran Anthony Banks. The main cast is completed by Teresa Banham (Ellen), James Gladdon (Freddy), Spin Glancy (Justin), Robert Mountford (Laurence and Paul), Olivia Onyehara (Rebecca), Charlotte Randle (Verity) and  Eliza Teale. Overall it's a tight production and ought to please both committed fans of Morse (yes there is a fan club) and also anyone who enjoys watching a good old live theatre murder mystery.

Inspector Morse - House of Ghosts runs at Nottingham's Theatre Royal until Saturday 4 October.