Dragon Review: Inspector Morse at the Yvonne Arnaud Theatre

Published on: 12 Mar, 2026
Updated on: 12 Mar, 2026

Inspector Morse (Tom Chambers) discusses the case with Sgt Lewis (Tachia Newall). Johan Persson

By Isabelle Trubshaw

Like many detective stories, this production follows a familiar U-curve of mystery – opening with intrigue, dipping into confusion, and ultimately arriving at a dramatic resolution – though here the theatrical setting heightens each stage of the journey.

Colin Dexter’s 1980 creation, Inspector Morse, was brought to the stage on Tuesday for its opening night at the Yvonne Arnaud as an original production written by Alma Cullen and directed by Anthony Banks. Cullen, who also wrote episodes for the original ITV series, captures the detective’s character well, placing Morse at the centre of an investigation connected to his own past in Oxford.

Tom Chambers as Inspector Morse. Johan Persson

In a device reminiscent of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s play-within-a-play style storytelling, Cullen’s thriller opens by imaginatively blurring the lines between performance and reality.

When an actor dies during a staged performance of Macbeth, the theatre lights snap back on only minutes after they dim, and the audience are told to “stay where we are”. In an instant, we are thrown into mystery, and the boundary between performance and reality dissolves.

Yet this initial charged mystery soon dissipates, and much of the first act slips into a sluggish rhythm as Morse and Lewis laboriously piece together the clues.

As the characters’ lives grow more entangled, so too does the audience’s task of following the plot, which demands increasing concentration – a complexity reflected in interval conversations.

Perhaps in an effort to fill the Yvonne Arnaud’s large stage, some performances tip into heightened performances. James Gladdon’s portrayal of the distressed Freddy occasionally descends into muffled dialogue, as exaggerated breaths punctuate inflated sobs.

Visually, the production is anchored by Colin Richmond’s inventive set design, which shifts cleverly between the backstage world of Macbeth and a series of interrogation scenes, helping guide the audience through the complex narrative.

The acoustically impressive church setting. Johan Persson

One standout backdrop is in the form of a reversed theatre stage mirroring the Yvonne Arnaud itself. Another is the setting of a church, which impresses with its convincing acoustic echoes.

The slickness of the production occasionally falters as set changes drag into the following scenes and distract from the actors’ dialogue. The familiar Morse soundtrack, played between scene changes, can also feel jarringly abrupt.

The plot settles into a more confident rhythm in the second half, drawing a warmer response from the audience — particularly during Charlotte Randle’s entertaining drunken monologue as Verity.

Ellen (Teresa Banham) with the inspector. Johan Persson

Applause is also due to Jason Done for his dual performance as the dramatic director Lawrence and the solemn priest Paul, transitioning seamlessly between the two roles.

Ultimately, there is pleasure in the eventual resolution of Cullen’s mystery, but it never quite achieves the grip and excitement that detective stories so often deliver on screen.

Inspector Morse runs at the Yvonne Arnaud Theatre until Saturday, March 14. Box Office 01483 440000 or click here.