An Inspector Calls - one of the best sets we've ever seen at the Theatre Royal

JB Priestley’s famous play has been touring for the best part of 65 years now, but it still has some cutting points to make about society. Even in the age of globalisation and the credit crunch, this parable of morals, the class divide and responsibility for your actions still rings true.

The Birlings are a rich and rather detestable family of the 1930’s. The play starts with them holding a dinner party to celebrate the engagement of Sheila Birling (their pretty excitable daughter in her mid-twenties) to Gerald Croft (son of the family’s closest business rival Crofts Ltd). Head of the family Arthur Birling (a heavy-looking, rather portentous man in his mid-fifties) and his wife Sybil Birling (his stuck-up, pompous and very class-conscious wife) both seem pleased as punch. So pleased, in fact, that while they feast they are happy to ignore the starving children gathering outside their door and the fact their son Eric Birling is clearly verging on alcoholism.

Police Inspector Goole (there’s a clue in the name) calls round to the house and tells them that a young girl named Eva Smith has been found dead in the infirmary. She has killed herself after drinking a bottle of household disinfectant and he would like to ask the family some questions. At first they are perturbed by the interruption and protest that they know nothing of this girl, with Birling senior trying to use his influence within the constabulary to cut the investigation short.

However, this Inspector is no careerist and he stands his ground. Then, as the plot unfolds you realise how intertwined the lives of the Birlings and Eva Smith actually were and how, unbeknown to them, each of them has played a major part in her downfall. To give much more of the plot away would be a spoiler for those yet to see it – but needless to say towards the end there are two major plot twists that accentuate the plays moral tone.

This production was directed by Stephen Daldry (better known for his work as a director of films like Billy Elliot and The Hours). Daldry actually created the radically rethought production with expressionistic influences and hidden depths back in 1992. But seventeen years later and following many awards, the production is, once again, touring the UK and remains a real tour de force that continues to pack a deeply emotional punch.

An Inspector Calls - with Louis Hilver as Inspector Goole

The cast for this performance were enjoyable with David Roper (a veteran of Eastenders and Coronation Street) making for a particularly believable (and dislikeable) Arthur Burling. Likewise Sandra Duncan (Doctors, Midsummer Murders) is even more hateable as Sybil with her sheer pomposity and unwillingness to admit she is wrong when everyone in the room knows it. The children Sheila and Eric are performed well enough by Marianne Oldham and Robin Whiting and Alisdair Simpson turns in a decent Gerald Croft.

However the one role that didn’t quite gel for me, and undoubtedly the most important one too, was that of the Inspector. In terms of his body language Louis Hilver (a veteran of films like Troy and Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow) did little wrong – although the way he sometimes threw Sheila around was surprising. But his voice, which acted as a major narration tool, just didn’t seem right – his intonation was like a cross between Jeremy Kyle and motor racing commentator Murray Walker – at times it became extremely off-putting.

Probably the best thing about the production, was the brilliant set. It was a one-piece affair with no major changes of scene throughout, but it featured a very believable looking house, a lamppost and a proper English phonebox. It was clearly quite robust too as it got drenched, burned and at the end completely smashed up. Major props to the props team from me!

So all in all it was a very enjoyable evening, with a few minor quibbles. If you’re a fan of the book, a fan of Priestley or just intrigued to see some downright socialist theatre at the Royal Centre then its well worth taking a look.

An Inspector Calls is showing at the Theatre Royal until Saturday 6 June 2009.

An Inspector Calls website
 

An Inspector Calls

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