Walking into the Mayflower Theatre last night, knowing ‘An Inspector Calls’ to be a recurring GCSE English literature set text, I was slightly apprehensive. However, after the raucous upheaval had died down and the play commenced this did not seem to be a problem. The archetypal ‘dun dun dun’, although slightly clichéd, was loud enough to command the attention of the audience.
The story, written by J. B Priestley, first performed in Soviet Russia in 1945, follows the exposure of the upper-middle-class Birling family in being responsible for the suicide of a working-class prostitute, Eva Smith, by Inspector Goole, a mysterious Scottish figure. However, it is later revealed that the suicide he describes is fictitious and he is acting as a device to display capitalistic features through his own socialist ideology. This is often regarded as Priestly presenting his own views through the character of Inspector Goole, played by Liam Brennan.
The set, designed by Ian MacNeil, was intense, in keeping with the stereotypical gothic narrative. the central feature of an opening house created the illusion of a dolls' house, thus presenting the characters of the Birling family as puppets presenting Priestley’s ideology. This was effective and suitably eerie, particularly with the excessive use of smoke and hazed lighting. The fog created an almost ethereal state matching the strange nature of the evening. There were also searchlight style beams scanning the audience which added to the intense crime style; representing a classic crime motif.
The costumes, in general, were grand, fitting with the time and class of the characters. Particularly, the character of Mrs Birling who wore a stunning red and black corset gown eluding to her wealth and status: maroon often being a symbol of power. This heightened the display of her attitude to working-class members of society, presenting her as snobbish and unwilling to help those in need, despite being the head of the women’s charity. The other notable costume was, of course, the inspector’s. He wore a typical oversized coat closing him off with a large fedora hat presenting him as concealed and strange.
The actors in ‘An Inspector Calls', exceeded their previously outstanding reviews and I was encapsulated by their believability and commitment to their roles. Most notably, the character Eric Birling, performed by Ryan Saunders, managed to strike the perfect balance of humour and tragedy with ease. This was beautiful to watch unfold, particularly as his character reached great depth as he is revealed as an alcoholic having relations with a “lady of the night”, Eva Smith. This development felt very honest and I found a slight fondness for his character.
One criticism of the production would have to be the sheer length. With no interval, an almost two-hour show was perhaps too intense. However, saying this it is in keeping with Apollo’s limits of a tragedy, providing the audience with no respite and hence maintaining and even exacerbating the tragedy. Conclusively, I felt Stephen Daldry’s adaption was encapsulating and totally animating with an interesting narrative, sufficient action and superb design elements. Wow!
Reviewer - Grace McNicholas
on - 17/9/19
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