Inspector Morse: House of Ghosts | Liverpool Playhouse

British audiences love a good detective story. You only have to look as far as The Mousetrap’s 74 year run in the West End, or the various stage adaptations of other works by Christie, Conan Doyle, Rankin and Highsmith among others, to get a sense of how much we collectively delight in a tale of the unknown. It seems baffling then, given his enormous television popularity, as well as the considerable overall draw of the crime thriller genre, that it’s taken over five decades to see Colin Dexter’s big hitter Inspector Morse finally make his theatrical debut. Was it worth the wait though?

Aptly enough, this new story, entitled House of Ghosts which has been written by Alma Cullen, focusses on a murder in the theatre, with an act two scene in a production of Shakespeare’s Hamlet grinding to a halt following the untimely demise of the actress portraying Ophelia from an apparent poisoning. Immediately, we have Morse enter from the rear of the auditorium to kick off the investigation, eliciting a furore from other figures involved. This is a terrific idea in theory, given the immersion presented by both the setting and the initial entries, though it is one that does feel a touch out of place.

It must be said that it is never really explained why Morse was present at said performance outside of some wild million-to-one coincidence, nor whether or not, or why, he should suspect that an incident was about to occur prior to the start of the play. That said, it does grip the audience immediately, as there was a distinct hubbub within these opening minutes, setting us up nicely for what’s to come over the next couple of hours. Sadly we do experience a drop in momentum, as for the most part, proceedings feel slow and laborious during the first act, and it is only really after the interval that any discernible degree of excitement or suspense is really built.

There are just about enough twists and turns to keep our focus though, and there was no shortage of Morse’s signature sharp tongued sarcasm and wit. What I rather appreciate, courtesy of set designer Colin Richmond, is the feeling of experiencing things from the actors’ point of view. The stage often feels laid bare, with no black curtains adorning either wing, giving us, the audience, a unique insight and behind-the-scenes outlook. Additionally, lighting by Lizzie Powell, most notably the mirror-like projection of a stage actor’s view of the empty auditorium, is brilliantly used, and enhances this notion of a quasi-first person perspective.

Taking on the mantle of the much loved sleuth we have Tom Chambers, and it feels like he’s picked up where the late, great John Thaw left off. Chambers has hit the perfect balance, he isn’t trying to do an impression of his predecessor, nor does it feel like the character has had a personality transplant. His right hand man DS Lewis is played with solid assuredness by Tachia Newall, not to mention a wonderful degree of humour that appropriately breaks up the tension.

We have plenty of solid performances, largely convincing yet unspectacular, however the standout of the bunch is Charlotte Randle as Verity, the somewhat washed up actress and recovering alcoholic, who takes great pleasure in stirring the pot with regards to the investigation. Randle is a marvellous comic actress, and clearly relishes in her character’s mischievous ways.

I have no doubt that this new staging of Inspector Morse will appeal greatly to fans of the titular detective, be it in print or on the screen, and in spite of the inherent melodrama, there is certainly plenty to enjoy for the uninitiated. Unfortunately, all of this ultimately leads to a rather underwhelming conclusion as, taking into consideration the suspense that has been built, it feels like we get something of a flat tyre as we approach the finish line. This play is compelling enough, and is performed well across the board, but feels incomplete, and there is a tragic sense of irony that a story about one of our finest literary detectives has failed to really consider all evidence before stating its final findings.

Inspector Morse: House of Ghosts plays at Liverpool Playhouse until 17th January 2026.

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★★★☆☆ (3*)

Gifted tickets in return for an honest review | Photography by Johan Persson