Review of Inspector Morse: House of Ghosts at Milton Keynes Theatre

The intellectually leaning Inspector Morse first appeared in print in the works of Colin Dexter in 1975 and became even more prominent in popular culture in 1987 when John Thaw took on the role in a series that would run for fourteen years. As well as generating a couple of spin-off TV series, Melting Pot and Birmingham Rep have now finally taken the detective to the stage in Inspector Morse: House of Ghosts, an original story written by TV series contributor Alma Cullen. So, as the play arrives at Milton Keynes Theatre this week with Tom Chambers now taking the eponymous role, does the Oxford intellectual make a smooth transition to the stage?

Our story opens with Morse enjoying a stage production of Hamlet with a would-be love interest, Ellen. As expected, things quickly turn towards the need for a detective in the house as one of the players mysteriously collapses and dies live on stage.

House of Ghosts opens excellently, drawing the audience in as a classic Hamlet scene suddenly becomes a crime scene. The concept works, even though we, the audience, quickly become the set's empty backdrop. Indeed, Colin Richmond’s set (who also designed the set for last week's Milton Keynes show Legally Blonde) is extremely clever and adaptable, allowing scenes to switch quickly from theatre to police station to the pub with ease. This is very important, as Cullen’s piece has taken the winning formula of TV dramas and created multiple short scenes, making the staging also very televisual.

The key, however, to this production, though, is perhaps the main man, and with Tom Chambers Morse, you feel in safe hands. Whether, as an audience member, you feel he is doing justice to both the character and/or the legendary John Thaw is perhaps a matter of individual opinion. What is clear, though, is that Morse here is Chambers' character, and it is a strong, quietly commanding performance. There is a nicely simmering area of rage in the performance, as well as gentle humour, which underlines the play throughout.

Tachia Newall’s Morse sidekick Lewis is nicely played, though at times the character is underwritten; he gets some delightfully comic moments of being trapped in awkward conversations that Newall plays excellently, and when paired with Chambers, they form some brilliant repartee.

Elsewhere, as feels apt for a theatre company within a play, many of the other characters are delightfully larger-than-life and broadly drawn. Jason Done is suitably over-the-top as the leather-trouser-clad director Lawrence. Obsessed with his show and determined that it must go on despite the inconvenient death of one of his stars.

Spin Glancy is an excellent Justin, truly cut up by his co-star's death, and makes an excellent Hamlet in the play's opening monologue. Charlotte Randle plays the ridiculously gossip-obsessed Verity with relish, milking every line and scene she appears in. There is also a likeable, very understated performance by Teresa Banham as Ellen.

Production-wise, the show is excellent with director Anthony Banks keeping everything fluid within the myriad of scenes in the show and also alongside Richmond’s set, there is some very impressive and on-point lighting from Lizzie Powell, leaving both lingering moments on characters, and allowing swift set changes to happen in the background by the cast.

Inspector Morse: House of Ghosts is a pleasant surprise of a production. Not out to just tick a few boxes and fill the theatre with the obvious long fans of the novels and show, but to bring something of quality to the stage and allow us to fondly remember a time, 1987 in this case, where mobile phones and computer networks were not the quick fix for a dogged detective.

An intriguing and clever stage adaptation of the classic detective.
⭐⭐⭐⭐

Performance reviewed: Tuesday 17th March, 2026 at the Milton Keynes Theatre, Milton Keynes.

Inspector Morse: House of Ghosts runs at Milton Keynes Theatre until Saturday, 21st March 2026.

For further details about Milton Keynes, see their website at http://www.atgtickets.com/venues/milton-keynes-theatre/

For further details of the tour, see the website at https://inspectormorseonstage.com/

Photographs: Johan Persson

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