New Wimbledon Theatre – until 6 October 2018
Reviewed by Elizabeth Smith
4****
An inspector calls is a haunting story of class divide. Written in 1945 by J B Priestly and set in 1912, it explores the core values of society and are as relevant today as ever.
We watch the Birling”s family celebrating their daughters engagement, congratulating themselves in the love match of two industrial families. Then inspector Goole calls to question the family on the grave matter of a young woman’s suicide earlier that evening. As the inspector interviews each member of the family the unfortunate tale of a young, working class woman emerges and
how each family member played their part in her demise.
Liam Brennan, Inspector Goole, was cool and unfazed by the superior attitude of the family. Seeking justice for a woman with no voice. His emotions running deep on each new revelation the family revealed.
Jeff Harmer, Arthur Birling, played the patriarch, with command and showing how, when the truth is out, it can change everything in an instant.
Chrisitne Kavanagh, Sybil Birling, carried an air of haughtiness, that she was determined to hold on to even when shown how wrong her assumptions were.
Andrew Macklin, Gerald Croft, played the toff with a certain 1940’s attitude that felt a little date and hammy.
Lianne Harvey, Sheila Birling, grew as a character from a silly spoilt brat to a woman who could see how actions have consequences.
Hamish Riddle, Eric Birling, was a believable young public school boy, who drunk to much and played to hard.
Diana Payne- Myers, Edna, bumbled around the stage setting scenes and giving an air of distain of the family.
The set was magical, like looking into a real life dolls house and like a house of cards can come tumbling down.
I didn’t get the presence of the ensemble, were they there to suggest the conscience of society?
Even if your not studying this tale for your GCSE’s I would recommend seeing it. Having no interval just heightens the tension of the play and it passes in a flash. You are left wondering if we have come very far in the last century, and will society ever change?