An Inspector Calls At Regent Theatre Stoke On Trent Review
DISCLOSURE – TICKETS TO SEE THE SHOW WERE GIFTED TO THE REVIEWER AND GUEST FOR THE PURPOSES OF WRITING THE REVIEW
Reviewed by Becky B
An Inspector Calls is a thriller and social commentary set in pre-war Britain and written by J.B Priestly, which I was fortunate to watch as part of a national tour at the Regent Theatre, Stoke on Trent. My daughter had been desperate to see the play since studying this for her GCSE exams last year and the show did not disappoint. From the moment the lights went down, we were transported back in time to the fictional town of Brumley, an English manufacturing town.
The opening of the play begins with children, playing in the gloomy, misty and rainy street and sets the backdrop of the deprivation of lower classes, a thread which is later picked up through the story of Eva Smith, when out of the mist appears the inspector.
Sitting in the audience, I felt I was being drawn into the action because of the lighting and visual effects. The Birling’s home is an imposing focal point elevated above the street level to represent their status as being upper class where they could look down upon the lower classes. The play focuses on the apparent suicide of Eva Smith and the involvement of individual members of the Birling family.
The set is impressive and transports the audience into the living room of the Birling family as they are celebrating their daughter ‘Sheila’s’ engagement to Gerald Croft, the son of a rival upper class business owner. The celebrations are halted when the mysterious Inspector Goole pays the family a visit to make enquiries about their connections with a young woman who has died from apparent suicide. We learn that Eva has died from drinking detergent and the inspector interrogates each family member about their actions and involvement with the woman.
The lighting creates a sense of vibrancy within the home of the wealthy, creating a visual contrast with the gloominess on the street outside.
As the play progresses, the Birling family’s indiscretions and collective guilt they share for the death of Eva Smith are revealed. The play is a social commentary on the class-based system and a critique of moral complacency played out through the actions of the Birling family. The voice of the inspector portrays the conscience of the audience as the story evolves. The set is further used to highlight the status of the characters in society, with the inspector and the maid at the main stage level, sometimes reaching out into the audience whereas the upper-class Birling’s are elevated in their home at times lowering themselves to engage with the inspector.
The set is one of the most impressive I have seen in a touring theatre production and there are some dramatic effects which are used to reflect changing mood of the plot. There are some twists and turns along the way, and without giving away any surprises, the audience are left with questions about the shadowy inspector Goole?
We really enjoyed the performance, and it certainly lived up to our expectations. Directed by Stephen Daldry the cast delivered a captivating performance. For me, the standout was Tim Treolar’s charismatic performance as the mysterious Inspector Goole. I especially liked the interactions between the inspector and Sheila Birling (played by Leona Allen), highlighting the awakening of conscience in the younger generation.
The production is a powerful commentary on society which resonates as much today as when it was originally written, highlighting social responsibility and the effects of class and deprivation, not just an average thriller and I was left wanting more!
Rating: 5/5
Tickets cost from £15 (plus a transaction fee of £3.95)
An Inspector Calls is at the Regent Theatre Stoke on Trent from Wed 25 Sep – Sat 28 Sep 2024
for more information visit https://www.atgtickets.com/shows/an-inspector-calls/regent-theatre/
or call the box office on 0333 009 6690.
Regent Theatre, Piccadilly, Stoke-On-Trent ST1 1AP