An Inspector Calls at Milton Keynes Theatre Review
DISCLOSURE – TICKETS TO SEE THE SHOW WERE GIFTED TO THE REVIEWER AND GUEST FOR THE PURPOSES OF WRITING THE REVIEW
Reviewed by Janine Rumble
Yesterday I was fortunate to see the Stephen Baldry directed National Theatre Production of J. B. Priestley’s ‘classic thriller’, An Inspector Calls at Milton Keynes Theatre.
For fans of the classic play in a book, then this does not disappoint. The stage play skilfully brings the characters in the thriller to life in an intense and thrilling way. Seeing the well-known characters in 3D form was brilliant. Most of them were how I pictured them when I studied An Inspector Calls at school in English lessons. Although the acting was much more intense and the characters were much more passionate about their misdemeanours than can be read on the page.
The play is advertised as “J. B. Priestley’s brilliantly constructed masterpiece powerfully dramatizes the dangers of casual capitalism’s cruelty, complacency and hypocrisy.” It also talks about how what J. B. Priestley wrote about all those years ago, is still sadly relevant today.
The play follows a prosperous family in their grand house, after the second world war. It is about position and standing and what people think is important, but when it boils down to it, their lives are as flimsy as the next person, if they don’t have the character of their convictions. It brings forward the frailties of life and gives the watcher time to pause and consider their own lives and their own characters.
The play begins as the Birling family are celebrating their daughter Sheila’s (Leona Allen) engagement to the even richer Gerald Croft (Simon Pothecary), during which he mentions to Sheila’s father (Jeffrey Harmer) that his mother is not keen on the match because of the father’s standing in the community.
Arthur Birling, lets slip that he may be coming up for a Knighthood as he was Lord Mayor two years ago, a phrase his wife Sybil (Jackie Morrison) repeats during the play, social standing is everything to these people, so when an inspector named Goole (Tim Treloar) interrupts their dinner party to tell them that a woman has died in horrible circumstances, the lives of the people in the house quickly unravel. The one who suffers the most is spoiled rich kid Eric (George Rowlands) and his downfall is impressive, as is the downfall of all of them as they each realise the part they played in the demise of this poor woman, causing them to address their conscience and consider their actions.
The stage was very simple, with the grand house likened to a giant doll’s house and the characters in the doll’s house, mere puppets for the ‘inspector’ to manipulate to his every whim. As the play progresses, the grand house deteriorates and falls apart, reflecting the lives of the inhabitants within, with the house completing falling apart as the family within fall apart.
The effects were brilliant, especially the rain at the beginning, which really added to the darkness of the play, this was juxtaposed against the bright and garishness of the interior of the house. The costumes were also a nod to the classes and the darkness of the family’s plight, as their lives and their world crumbled around them. The poor characters were dressed in dark, dowdy outfits befitting the 1940’s rationing, whilst the rich characters wore elegant, beautifully decorated dresses and formal menswear. The way the characters outfits deteriorated alongside as the lives of the rich people deteriorated was also a very clever touch I thought.
If you are a fan of J. B. Priestley’s work, then I would recommend seeing this play. I give this play 4/5 stars.
Rating: 4/5
An Inspector Calls is on at Milton Keynes Theatre until Saturday 24th May, before moving to New Wimbledon Theatre from the 27th – 31st May for the final leg of the tour. Tickets can be brought at the theatre’s box office or online at www.atgtickets.com with prices starting from £25.