Baker takes on another TV institution (From Your Local Guardian)

Baker takes on another TV institution

2:50pm Friday 3rd September 2010 in

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Colin Baker, one of the 11 actors to have played Doctor Who, is now taking to the stage to tackle another television institution - the grumpy, Jaguar-driving super sleuth, Inspector Morse.

The show, entitled House of Ghosts, is a new Morse adventure written by Alma Cullen, by special arrangement with Colin Dexter, the author of the books upon which the TV series was based, and it begins a six-day run at Richmond Theatre on Monday.

Baker, who starred as Doctor Who from 1984 to 1986, says he jumped at the chance to play Morse, a part that was, of course, made famous by the late John Thaw.

“When you asked to play a part like Morse you think ‘wow’ but it is also quite a responsibility,” he says.

“It was a bit like when I was asked to play Doctor Who, although with that with part there were five other people who had played it before. In the case of Morse there is just one, the great John Thaw, but one has to put that at the back of one’s mind and just give your own version of the character.”

In order to avoid being influenced by Thaw’s portrayal of Morse, Baker avoided re-watching the television series and instead turned to Dexter’s books for inspiration.

“John was so particular in the way he played the part so I had to find my own way through it,” he explains.

“There are all sorts of things in the books that weren’t evident in the TV series but there are certain characteristics of Morse that whoever plays him will pick up on - he is going to be grumpy, he likes a pint or two and is fairly intolerant. Many of these characteristics I share with him so actually the part has comes quite easily.”

The House of Ghosts is a ‘whodunit’ story that centres around the on-stage death of a young actress - Morse is quickly on the trail, with the help of his trusty partner Lewis. Baker says he has enjoyed building up the onstage relationship with actor Andrew Bone, who plays the put upon sidekick.

“The nice thing about Morse is that the sidekick isn’t just a cipher but a real character,” he adds.

“This has been proved by the fact that after the death of John Thaw the programme has continued very succesfully as Lewis because that character is interesting as well.”

As a former Doctor Who, Baker is used to fans’ attention and although Morse fans might not reach the same level of devotion compared to Doctor Who enthusiasts, there should still be plenty of them in the Richmond audience eager to see how Baker’s version of Inspector Endeavour Morse shapes up.

House of Ghosts, Richmond Theatre, September 6 - 11, for more information and to book tickets, visit ambassadortickets.com