Melting Pot and Birmingham Rep are delighted to announce full casting for their thrilling co-production, Inspector Morse: House of Ghosts. Led by the previously announced Tom Chambers (winner of BBC 1 Strictly Come Dancing’s series six and Inspector Edgar Sullivan in BBC 1’s Father Brown), who will play the beloved detective Inspector Morse, the production opens in Birmingham on Thursday 28 August 2025 ahead of a major UK tour.
Joining Chambers in the iconic role of Morse is actor and rapper Tachia Newall (who played fan favourite, Bolton Smilie in BBC 1’s Waterloo Road in addition to roles in ITV’s Coronation Street and BBC 1’s Doctor Who) as loyal Detective Sergeant Lewis, bringing a fresh dynamic to the beloved detective duo.
Also announced:
Teresa Banham (A View From The Bridge, Touring Consortium; Netflix’s The Crown) as Ellen
James Gladdon (The Score, Theatre Royal Haymarket & Theatre Royal Bath; A View From the Bridge) as Freddy
Spin Glancy (Forty Years On, Chichester Festival Theatre) as Justin
Josh Katembela makes his touring theatre debut following his graduation from RADA, joining the ensemble
Robert Mountford (Much Ado About Nothing, Globe Theatre; The Merchant of Venice, RSC), who plays the dual roles of Lawrence Baxter and Paul Kincaid
Olivia Onyehara (All’s Well That Ends Well / Richard III, RSC; The 39 Steps, SJT Scarborough) in the multi-roles of Rebecca / Harriet / Ellen.
Charlotte Randle (Vardy V Rooney: The Wagatha Christie Trial, Wyndham’s Theatre; Medea, Almeida) as Verity
Eliza Teale (Swansea Boy, Volcano Theatre; Filumena, Theatre Royal Windsor / BKL Tour) completes the ensemble.
Director, Anthony Banks says: “I’m very excited to start working with this fantastic cast who will bring these much-loved characters to life and make them their own. Alma Cullen’s original Morse story contains a play-within-a-play – an inspired concept for a murder mystery which reveals the similarities between playing a part when acting and covering-up a crime!”
Following The Rep engagement, the tour then visits: London, Richmond Theatre; York, Grand Opera House; Nottingham, Theatre Royal; Bromley, Churchill Theatre; Belfast, Grand Opera House; Brighton, Theatre Royal; Sheffield, Lyceum Theatre; Cheltenham, Everyman Theatre; Woking, New Victoria Theatre; Norwich, Theatre Royal; Aylesbury, Waterside Theatre; Liverpool, Playhouse Theatre; Oxford, New Theatre; Cardiff, New Theatre; Newcastle, Theatre Royal; Cambridge, Arts Theatre; Malvern, Festival Theatre; Edinburgh, Festival Theatre; Guildford, Yvonne Arnaud Theatre; Milton Keynes, Milton Keynes Theatre; Aberdeen, His Majesty’s Theatre; Glasgow, Theatre Royal; Salford, The Lowry.
A chilling mystery unfolds when a young actress suddenly dies on stage during a performance, and Detective Chief Inspector Morse embarks on a gripping investigation. What begins as a suspicious death inquiry takes a darker turn when the legendary inspector, together with DS Lewis, uncovers a connection to sinister events in his own past, twenty-five years earlier.
Inspector Morse: House of Ghosts marks the first-ever major stage adaptation of the iconic detective. ITV’s long-running Inspector Morse, hailed by Radio Times as ‘The greatest British crime series of all time’, has inspired equally beloved spin-offs, Lewis and Endeavour. Starring Tom Chambers (Father Brown, Strictly Come Dancing) as Inspector Morse, this original story written for the stage is a must-see for fans of compelling detective stories and thrilling mysteries.
Alma Cullen penned episodes for the ITV crime drama series including, The Secret of Bay 5B (1989), The Infernal Serpent (1990), Fat Chance (1991) and The Death of The Self (1992), derived from the characters created by Colin Dexter.
Based on the novels by Colin Dexter, the hit ITV series Inspector Morse starred John Thaw as the erudite Inspector, famed for his love of opera, crosswords and a fine real ale. Alongside his trusted Sergeant, DS Lewis, played by Kevin Whately, the pair captivated audiences for 13 years and a total of 33 episodes with the programme’s trademark gripping mysteries, intelligent plots and memorable characters. The series became a classic of British television, earning numerous accolades and a devoted fanbase. Dexter’s characters continue to enthral audiences, with House of Ghosts marking the latest chapter in the iconic detective’s career.
Inspector Morse: House of Ghosts is written for the stage by Alma Cullen. The tour also reunites Tom Chambers with Director Anthony Banks (The Girl on the Train, West End / UK Tour; Steel Magnolias, UK Tour) following their collaboration on the 2020/21 tour of Dial M For Murder.
Tom Chamber’s theatrical credits include Murder in the Dark (Touring); Elf (Dominion Theatre); Dial M For Murder (Tour); Crazy For You (UK Tour); Private Lives (UK Tour); White Christmas (Dominion Theatre); Top Hat (Aldwych Theatre) Cyrano De Bergerac (Derby Theatre). His TV credits include Father Brown, The Great Train Robbery, Midsomer Murders, Casualty, Emmerdale, Holby City and Waterloo Road. Films include Fakers, Apollo 13: Dark Side of the Moon and Meet Pursuit Delange.
Anthony Banks has directed world premieres of many new plays including: The Girl On The Train (West End/National Tour); Jim Cartwright’s Raz (West End/National Tour) and The Gap (Hope Mill); Lucinda Coxon’s Herding Cats (Soho/Hampstead/Ustinov); James Graham’s Bassett (Bristol Old Vic); Dennis Kelly’s DNA (National Tour); Mark Ravenhill’s Blackmail (Mercury); Nick Dear’s Hogarth’s Progress (Rose); Ryan Craig’s Games For Lovers (Vaults); Kevin Elyot’s Twilight Song (Park Theatre); Bryony Lavery’s Cesario and More Light, Lucinda Coxon’s The Eternal Not and Michael Lesslie’s Prince of Denmark (National Theatre); Snoo Wilson’s Pignight (Menier); Mark Ravenhill’s The Experiment (Soho Theatre/Berliner Ensemble).
He has also directed some twentieth century classics: Daphne du Maurier’s My Cousin Rachel by Joseph O’Connor (Bath/Chichester); Patrick Marber’s After Miss Julie (Theatre Royal Bath); Patricia Highsmith’s Strangers on a Train (National Tour); Patrick Hamilton’s Gaslight (National Tour); Tennessee Williams’ The Hotel Plays; Dial M For Murder (National Tour) George Bernard Shaw’s Mrs Warren’s Profession (Bath/Chichester) and Robert Harling’s Steel Magnolias (National Tour).
Anthony was an associate director at the National Theatre 2004-2014 where he commissioned and developed a hundred new plays for NT Connections.
INSPECTOR MORSE: HOUSE OF GHOSTS
UK TOUR DATES
Birmingham Rep
Thursday 28 August – Sunday 14 September
www.birmingham-rep.co.uk
Richmond Theatre
Tuesday 16 – Saturday 20 September
York Grand Opera House
Tuesday 23 – Saturday 27 September
Nottingham, Theatre Royal
Tuesday 30 September – Saturday 4 October
www.trch.co.uk
Bromley, Churchill Theatre
Tuesday 7 – Saturday 11 October
www.trafalgartickets.com/churchill-theatre-bromley/en-GB
Belfast, Grand Opera House
Tuesday 14 – Saturday 18 October
www.goh.co.uk
Brighton, Theatre Royal
Tuesday 21 – Saturday 25 October
Sheffield, Lyceum Theatre
Tuesday 28 October – Saturday 1 November
www.sheffieldtheatres.co.uk
Cheltenham, Everyman Theatre
Tuesday 4 – Saturday 8 November
www.everymantheatre.org.uk
Woking, New Victoria Theatre
Tuesday 11 – Saturday 15 November
Norwich, Theatre Royal
Tuesday 18 – Saturday 22 November
www.norwichtheatre.org
Aylesbury, Waterside Theatre
Tuesday 25 – Saturday 29 November
Liverpool, Playhouse Theatre
Tuesday 13 – Saturday 17 January
www.everymanplayhouse.com
Oxford, New Theatre
Tuesday 20 – Saturday 24 January
Cardiff, New Theatre
Tuesday 27 – Saturday 31 January
www.trafalgartickets.com/new-theatre-cardiff
Newcastle, Theatre Royal
Tuesday 3 – Saturday 7 February
www.theatreroyal.co.uk
Cambridge, Arts Theatre
Tuesday 10 – Saturday 14 February
www.cambridgeartstheatre.com
Malvern, Festival Theatre
Tuesday 24 – Saturday 28 February
www.malvern-theatres.co.uk
Edinburgh, Festival Theatre
Tuesday 3 – Saturday 7 March
www.capitaltheatres.com
Guildford, Yvonne Arnaud Theatre
Tuesday 10 – Saturday 14 March
www.yvonne-arnaud.co.uk
Milton Keynes Theatre
Tuesday 17 – Saturday 21 March
Aberdeen, His Majesty’s Theatre
Tuesday 24 – Saturday 28 March
www.aberdeenperformingarts.com
Glasgow Theatre Royal
Tuesday 31 March – Saturday 4 April
Salford, The Lowry
Tuesday 7 – Saturday 11 April
www.thelowry.com
