David Simper reviews Stephen Daldry’s multi-award-winning National Theatre production of JB Priestley’s classic thriller after a record-breaking, sell-out tour in 2022. With its striking set and stunning performances, An Inspector Calls had a Grand Theatre audience of all ages rapt on opening night.
The Blackpool Grand’s stage is covered by a particularly heavy drape. The lights dim and a small boy wearing old-fashioned, possibly school clothing, enters the stage, followed by other children. This boy tinkers with a radio set and the theatre fills with the sound of a siren – are we in World War II? Finally the curtain lifts to reveal the most incredible stage set, featuring real rain and a model of a posh house, part suspended.
While the spookily silent working-class characters stare, the sounds of carousing emanate from the house – there has been a meal and a couple have become engaged. A mysteriously mute maid potters about her duties, which continues throughout the production. The master of the house appears on a small balcony and delivers a vision of the self-centred and selfish world that he would like. It is this man’s daughter who has become engaged to a scion of another wealthy family.
Into this privileged paradise comes the trench coated Inspector Goole, who wishes to ask a few questions about a suicide – a young woman who has ingested disinfectant and died in agony. One notices how at ease this policeman is with the silent working-class characters around him – they look after his hat, coat and finally jacket.
Starting with the paterfamilias, the inspector works systematically through four members of the elite family and its prospective son in law, teasing out their roles in the dead woman’s demise. They try to pull rank, but that is brushed aside. Cruelty and thoughtlessness have brought this dead woman down. The characters respond to their exposure in various ways, some accepting blame, some doubling down, others going to pieces. By the interrogation’s end, the elite characters are quivering wrecks.
The inspector recovers his coat, jacket and hat and departs through a mix of silent figures, dressed in various styles and silhoutted against the back lit scenery. He leaves all secrets revealed and a family in ruin. It sounds grim, but there is humour and also mystery. The prospective son-in-law comes out with a little credit, but has played a part in the off-stage character’s downfall. The mother, characterising the view that a portion of the poor are undeserving, is almost pure evil. The inspector’s speeches reveal Priestley’s vision of a society that acts as one to support all, particularly in a time of need, running directly contrary to the dog-eat-dog vision espoused earlier.
Then be ready for the final twist. Is the inspector who he claims to be? His work is done, the damage is wreaked, but can the situation be salvaged.
The acting is committed, intense and frequently aggressive, particularly the mother. In this sort of situation, it must be easy to get that bit overwrought, but here the angst is well handled. Perhaps the laughter rings a little untrue at times, but this is a petty criticism of a universally high-quality set of performances. The telephone rings, what can this mean?
A particularly striking set is a character in itself. Effects are also strong, including pyrotechnics, working well with the bold lighting. The entire stage has depth, appearing to go back for many yards, when obviously this is impossible. An entire scale model of a house dominates the stage, flanked by an old-style telephone box, which plays its part. The house folds out, acquires a spiral staircase and ultimately moves, reinforcing the paranoia building among the human cast. I am not sure how some of the effects have been achieved, which is unusual. The cast clambered about this adroitly, which was a little nerve-wracking, considering some of the surface angles and heights that were involved – I’m glad I didn’t have to do the risk assessment for this.
To me this is a perfect play, a must see, which I will go and see every time I have the opportunity. It is a one-act piece, but proceeds so smoothly an interval is not missed, despite the lack of ice cream that this entails. Everybody should see this play, especially if you’re working class. The theatre was full of young people – I confirmed that the play is on the curriculum. There was no sound from these young people, in fact the entire audience seemed rapt.
Congratulations to all involved in this fine production, which runs at the Grand Theatre until Saturday 1st March 2025.
