Stephen Daldry’s ‘An Inspector Calls’
JB Priestley’s ‘An Inspector Calls’ is a classic of 20th Century literature. A morality tale which shows that we are all, somehow linked, and that our actions follow actions and can have grave consequences somewhere down the line, it was first written in 1945 and has retained importance ever since, appearing most year’s in the GCSE English syllabus. (including in 2025). Acclaimed director Stephen Daldry has taken the play, and has invigorated it, with the visual aid of designer Ian McNeil and his incredible set. Their production, for the National Theatre, opened at the Wolverhampton Grand Theatre last night, and is astonishing in its anger and savagery, and retains every bit of power and relevance that it did in 1945.
The story of ‘An Inspector Calls’ is relatively simple. A wealthy family, the Birlings, are celebrating the engagement of their daughter Sheila to Gerald Croft, the son of a lord. The party is interrupted by the arrival of a police inspector. Inspector Goole brings the news of the death of a young woman called Eva Smith by suicide. The Inspector’s questioning shows that all the family are somehow complicit in the downfall and death of this young woman, and the revelations serve to seemingly destroy the family. But is all as it seems with Inspector Goole?
We first encounter the family from the outside of their home. This is very cleverly staged as being almost like a beautiful dolls house – making the point that the family are big fish in a small pond. We only see the family initially if they literally climb through the door, and most of the conversation is within the house, we listen along with the poor who live on the streets outside. This is both clever – the conversations are those from a private party, but can also lead to some speeches being missed as the audience are so far from the audio. I do wonder if this is deliberate as it is just chit-chat, the important revelations come with the arrival of the Inspector, when the house, both literally and figuratively, opens up.
The Inspector, as played by Tim Treloar, is loud and bombastic. He lacks the respectful reverence which was generally held for ‘our betters’ and consistently shows his distain for this family. It is a powerful performance that dominates the stage. He spars wonderfully with the odious businessman, and patriarch of the family, Arthur Birling, who fantastically portrays a man who clearly thinks he is better than everyone else. The pick of the family performances though, is the brilliant Leona Allan as the precocious brat Sheila. She starts off like Violet Elizabeth Bott in Just William (you can almost hear her saying I’ll scream and scream until I’m sick) and you can totally believe that she would act in a fit of pique and jealously about a girl prettier than herself who seems believes was laughing at her. But this performance changes as the guilt and the horror of what she has done sets in. This allows her to react strongly in scenes with her mother Sybil (Jackie Morrison), her brother Eric Birling (George Rowlands) and, most importantly, her fiance Gerald (Tom Chapman), all of whom are perfect in their roles.
I have mentioned the set, but must mention the destruction of the house. I first saw a staging of ‘An Inspector Calls’ in 1989, and remember the walls of the house cracking as the story unfolded. Here the house is spectacularly destroyed in a loud and violent manner that reflects the destruction of the family. It is an incredible feat that works brilliantly as a visual symbol of the moral of the play. The loud use of music too, also adds to the general eeriness of the piece.
For many years people have wondered what ‘An Inspector Calls’ truly is. Is it a ghost story? A morality tale? An allegory for the coming of WW1, where the likes of the Birlings and the life they lead will be swept aside? In the hands of Stephen Daldry it is simply unforgettable.
AN INSPECTOR CALLS
04 Mar–08 Mar 2025 Wolverhampton Grand Theatre. Limited availability on tickets
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