Review – Inspector Morse: House of Ghosts (touring) – Playhouse Theatre, Liverpool

Although Colin Dexter’s Inspector Morse was originally a character created for the page and brought to life in the minds of his readers, he has since become almost indivisible from the much loved screen characterization made into flesh by John Thaw. Since the end of that TV serialization and the death of Thaw, both Morse himself and his sidekick Lewis have refused to lie down, with multiple recreations and reboots of the Morse universe.

Prescot-born Alma Cullen, who herself died in 2021, was among the team of scriptwriters for the TV episodes, but House of Ghosts is a work that she created independently and (despite claims that the current tour is a first) was originally presented in an earlier version on stage in 2010, also making a tour and enjoying a radio adaptation.

In this new touring production from Melting Pot and Birmingham Rep, Tom Chambers has the unenviable task of reanimating the laconic detective, with Tachia Newall opposite him as Lewis.

Cullen made the wise choice of creating a new storyline rather than reshaping one of the pre-existing books or screenplays, and she cleverly locates it in a theatrical setting, helping to make the transition from screen to stage through a piece of metatheatre.

As the lights go up we find an actor, Justin, in full flow mid-soliloquy as Hamlet. Before long Ophelia appears to be overacting appallingly in an onstage death scene that Shakespeare hadn’t envisaged, and it soon becomes clear that the actress, Rebecca (played by Olivia Onyehara) has been poisoned. In a nifty parallel of Ophelia’s usually offstage death, it is unclear whether it is suicide, accident or murder, but luckily Chief Inspector Morse of Thames Valley Police, culture vulture that he is, happens to be sitting in the audience and is therefore immediately on hand to secure the scene. It looks as though the rest of us are going to be detained a while until he gets to the bottom of it.

Whilst ‘Justin’ seems to be playing Hamlet with emphasis on the Ham, Spin Glancy who plays the role of Justin is one of a number of the supporting cast in House of Ghosts who deliver fine performances. Another is Josh Katembela, who takes on multiple roles but is most prominent as Hamlet’s director Lawrence, whose main concern about the death of his Ophelia is that it might hinder the run of the play.

The ghosts in this play, however, are of a more Ibsen-esque variety, creeping out of the woodwork of Morse’s past to haunt him. Key among these is his old flame Ellen, played by Teresa Banham in another of the cast’s strongest points. Very much in the manner of the original storylines, the solving of a crime periodically takes a back seat to the personal soul-searching of the detective himself. In the novels and the TV series, this focus on character back-story is able to develop through multiple episodes, but here on stage it is hard to feel empathy with a new Morse who we are still getting to know.

Tom Chambers, whose stage work spans a range from Top Hat to Dial M for Murder, is perhaps a bit too likeable to truly embody the irascible Morse, and while he clearly aims his portrayal in the direction of some of Thaw’s mannerisms, he lacks the gravitas and solidity to really pull it off. The effect of his Morse-Lite approach is highlighted further by being paired with Tachia Newall’s rather more assured Lewis. Newall brings a fresh approach to his role and creates it anew rather than attempting any sort of homage to Kevin Whatley.

House of Ghosts is a fine looking production, with Colin Richmond’s expansive set taking us backstage at the theatre where we can see the machinery of performance going on around the main action. Lizzie Powell’s atmospheric lighting periodically plunges the stage into inky blackness so that smaller set-pieces can be played out in mini sets assembled from a collection of props. A soundscape from Beth Duke occasionally reminds us that we, the audience, are still part of the play, having witnessed the central crime taking place.

Overall this is a solidly written piece that makes a convincing case for Morse on stage, but unevenness in some of the dialogue and casting are insufficiently compensated for by Anthony Banks’ rather lightweight direction.

Inspector Morse: House of Ghosts is at Liverpool Playhouse until 17th January, and then continues this UK tour with dates booking through to April.

Star rating: 3 stars

Production photographs by Johan Persson 

Tachia Newall as Lewis and Tom Chambers as Morse

 

Teresa Banham as Ellen and Tom Chambers as Morse 

This review was originally written for publication by Good News Liverpool