This year, as most Morse fans know, is the 30th Anniversary of the first episode of the Inspector Morse series. I think many of us had hoped ITV would be doing something special to mark the anniversary; a new documentary about the Morse universe, Blu-Ray editions of the Morse series, something to show they appreciate what kudos and money the show has brought to their doors. But, ITV decided not to mark the anniversary in any way what so ever.
However, ITV’s rival the BBC are bringing us something new. This Saturday, 25th March 2017, on BBC Radio 4 at 2:30pm we are being entertained with an original drama from none other than Alma Cullen. Who is Alma Cullen? She was involved in four episodes of Inspector Morse. She wrote three of them; The Death of the Self (1992), – Fat Chance (1991) and The Infernal Serpent (1990) and wrote the screenplay for The Secret of Bay 5B (1989).
The cast are as follows;
Inspector Morse – Neil Pearson.
Neil Pearson is known to Lewis fans as Dr. Stringer from the episode, – And the Moonbeams Kiss the Sea (2008).
DS Lewis – Lee Ingleby.
Lee Ingleby has no connection to the Morse universe but will be familiar to crime drama fans as John Bacchus in the Inspector George Gently TV Series.
Supt Strange – Pip Torrens
Pip Torrens appeared in the Lewis TV series as Malcolm Croft in the episode Expiation (2007)
Stephen Critchlow as Philip Woolf
Stephen Critchlow played Donald Martin in the BBC radio dramatization of The Silent World of Nicholas Quinn.
Timothy Watson as Lawrence Baxter
No connection to the Morse universe. Best known to the British as Rob Titchener from the BBC long running drama The Archers.
Allan Corduner as Paul Kincaid
Allan Corduner played Mr Bellocchio in the Inspector Morse episode Twilight of the Gods (1993).
Samantha Bond as Ellen Underwood
Samantha Bond is known to Morse fans as Helen Marriat from the episode Dead on Time (1992)
Isla Blair as Verity Carr
Isla Blair is known in the Morse universe for playing Janey Wilson in the Morse episode, Cherubim & Seraphim (1992)
Janine Harouni as Harriet Baxter
No Info
Director – Marilyn Imrie (Scottish radio drama director and producer).
No connection to the Morse Universe.
An original drama written by Alma Cullen around the characters of Morse and Lewis created by Colin Dexter. The focus is on the time in Morse’s career when his mind was developing its incisive edge and his personal life was at its most complex.
The year is 1987, and Morse is at the theatre, where the young actress playing Ophelia dies on stage during a performance of Hamlet. A Suspicious Death inquiry begins.
When a suspect is murdered, Morse becomes convinced that the two deaths do, somehow, connect with what happened at an Oxford student production of Hamlet which he was a part of in 1962.
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I will of course be recording the radio drama for all those outside the UK and also for those in the UK who will not be able to tune in for one reason or another. Hopefully I will have it posted on the Saturday night or the Sunday. Take care everyone.
Slightly odd that the BBC’s press release refers t0 it as an original drama, considering that it’s an adaptation of Cullen’s 2010 Morse stageplay, starring Colin Baker. Still, it’ll be interesting to hear what they make of it – possibly this might be the first of a series of Morse R4 adapations?
Hi. Probably seen as ‘original’ as it is a first for the radio. I also hope it might be the beginning of a series of Morse radio dramas but I doubt that it is. There have been others in the past, three I think, and they were created many years ago.
Thank you! From Ann in Tennessee, USA.
Wow! Thanks Chris.
Thank you for recording it for us without BBC access! I will pray for your electrical power to not go out! 😀
Lol, I hope so to.
any chance of an explanation of the plot?Sadly I was called away in the middle of this excellent play.
I wd be most grateful.Gilbert
I have recorded the drama and I am hoping to upload it here very soon. Hope that helps.:)
Wrong picture of Timothy Watson
Is it? Do you have a correct one?