Starring Tom Chambers in the title role, Inspector Morse: House of Ghosts is a confident and atmospheric piece of crime theatre that feels both reassuringly familiar and quietly revelatory.
Written by Alma Cullen, one of the original writers on the Inspector Morse television series alongside Anthony Minghella and Danny Boyle, the play carries an unmistakable sense of authenticity. This is very much the Morse audiences know and love: cerebral, irascible, morally driven — and, crucially, human.
Set in Oxford, the city is once again more than a backdrop. Its colleges, theatre and private rooms are steeped in memory and unresolved emotion, perfectly mirroring the internal landscape of the detective himself.
The plot is set in motion by the sudden death of a young actress during a stage performance — a shocking event that draws Morse and DS Lewis into an investigation layered with theatrical artifice and psychological depth. As the case unfolds, it becomes clear that this is a play within a play, and that the mystery reaches far beyond the immediate crime.
At its heart, House of Ghosts is about confronting the past. The investigation forces Morse to revisit troubling events from 25 years earlier, dating back to his time at Oxford University. Central to this backstory is an unrequited love, a relationship left unresolved and emotionally unfinished. Without giving too much away, the narrative uses this encounter to peel back Morse’s famously guarded exterior, revealing a man shaped as much by personal regret as by professional discipline.
When asked beforehand what audiences could expect from the production, Tom Chambers described it as:
“A delicious treat for anyone who is a fan of the Inspector Morse stories and TV show… It’s such a fantastic, reliable brand, and this piece of writing by Alma Cullen is fascinating… For most people it will be a brand-new story that they’ve never seen before. That’s really exciting for them and also for us.”
That sense of excitement is palpable on stage. Because Cullen was one of the original writers, the voice of Morse feels entirely true — classic and iconic — yet the writing is fluent, fluid and emotionally richer than many might expect. I agree with Chambers: this is unmistakably Inspector Morse, but with a nostalgic, reflective undercurrent that gives the story added resonance.
Chambers’ performance captures this duality particularly well. We see Morse not only as the brilliant, relentless detective, but also in moments of vulnerability — grappling with memory, loss and the lingering “what ifs” of a life largely devoted to work. It is in these quieter, more domestic moments that the play finds its emotional centre, offering a rare glimpse of the personal man behind the professional façade.
The dynamic between Morse and DS Lewis remains a grounding force throughout. Lewis’s steadier, more pragmatic presence provides contrast and warmth, anchoring the investigation while allowing Morse’s more obsessive tendencies to surface naturally. Their exchanges are sharp, occasionally wry, and deeply familiar to fans of the series.
Visually, the production is restrained but effective. Lighting and props are used with precision to shift between locations and moods, while the suggestion of “ghosts” remains largely psychological rather than supernatural. The result is an atmosphere built on memory, implication and emotional unease rather than spectacle — a choice that feels entirely true to the Morse canon.
While the second act briefly slows as the various narrative threads are drawn together, the final revelations are satisfying and thematically coherent. Guilt, legacy, unspoken love and the inescapability of the past are all woven into a conclusion that feels earned rather than contrived.
Inspector Morse: House of Ghosts is an intelligent, absorbing and quietly affecting piece of theatre. For long-time fans, it’s a deeply rewarding return to a beloved character; for newcomers, it stands confidently as a layered mystery in its own right. Above all, it reminds us that even the sharpest minds are haunted not just by unsolved crimes, but by the lives they might have lived.
The post Inspector Morse: House of Ghosts – a thrilling and nostalgic Oxford mystery on stage appeared first on The Oxford Magazine.
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