⭐⭐⭐⭐Inspector Morse: House of Ghosts at Birmingham Rep: Review
An entertaining mystery, Tom Chambers is grand.
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BrumHour sat Inspector Morse at the invite of Birmingham Rep.
By Dave Massey
Inspector Morse: House of Ghosts at Birmingham Rep: Review
⭐⭐⭐⭐An entertaining mystery!
Directed by Anthony Banks, written by Alma Cullen based on characters by Colin Dexter
Set mainly in an Oxford theatre in 1987, Morse (Tom Chambers) is seemingly a witness to an onstage death during a performance of Hamlet. Calling the lights up and the audience to remain in their seats is just enough to make even the most badly behaved theatre goers to behave themselves. The story then explores some of Morse’s own personal history and connection to those involved.
Tom Chambers is grand, he has to be his own Morse, but echos of tv actor John Thaw are there in his more angry moments. Tachia Newall is an assured Lewis, constantly pecked by Morse for his grammar and word choice. The rest of the characters are all suspects, and their relationships and grievances are covered throughout this two-hour production. There’s a twenty-minute interval instead of the five or so ad breaks from the old TV episodes.
The sets mainly used a black backdrop rather than the bright, warm light of Oxford. I wanted to see those beauty shots of Oxford with all the old cars driving around. The props and costumes are used effectively and the music is evocative of the time. There’s not enough of Morse’s opera loving behaviour for me.
Fans of the TV show will probably enjoy exploring this world, and for their plus ones, this is a murder mystery set in the 1980s with some fun references to the future. Seeing everyone use landline rotary telephones is so amusing, as is the way they proceed with case.
An entertaining mystery, Inspector Morse: House of Ghosts is at Birmingham Rep until 14th September. Book tickets here: birmingham-rep.co.uk/whats-on/inspector-morse-house-of-ghosts.
