Timely arrival: An Inspector Calls into Plymouth

Who would ever have thought that An Inspector Calls would be so relevant? Those ridiculous subtle battles of the non-deserving poor and the deserving rich (yup, you read that right) are again being played out in the press. Who’da thought that such regressive – and let’s face it ignorant, mean and destructive – thoughts hadn’t been kiboshed? Yet, they seem to be growing in strength. Ideal for the social commentary wrapped up in a whodunit, which has a heap loads of thoughtful brain fodder.

4 million theatregoers

But thoughtful brain fodder does not just a hit show make. Stephen Daldry’s An Inspector Calls has been played to more than 4 million theatregoers worldwide. And it is the most internationally lauded production in the National Theatre’s history.

Back in 2016, Lyn Gardner welcomed the return of the production. It’s four years on since then, and so 28 years since this An Inspector Calls first gestated. But what does that say about the world which is shirking in its collective social responsibility. What have those 4 million people been doing with their time?

It does say that there’s something of lasting drama to the production.

The compelling and haunting thriller will be at the Theatre Royal Plymouth from Tuesday 3 to Saturday 7 March.

‘When Inspector Goole arrives unexpectedly at the prosperous Birling family home, their peaceful dinner party is shattered by his investigations into the death of a young woman. His startling revelations shake the very foundations of their lives and challenge us all to examine out consciences,’ says the blurb.

Stephen Daldry

Included in Stephen Daldry’s many theatre credits aree “The Audience”, “Skylight” and “Billy Elliot The Musical”. His film credits include “The Hours”, “The Reader” and “Billy Elliot”, all of which earned him Academy Award nominations for Best Director. Most recently he has directed several episodes of the Netflix smash hit series “The Crown”, for which he is also Producer.

Cast

The full cast includes Liam Brennan as ‘Inspector Goole’, Christine Kavanagh ‘Mrs Birling’, Jeff Harmer ‘Mr Birling’, Alisdair Buchan ‘Gerald Croft’, Chloe Orrock ‘Sheila Birling’, Ryan Saunders ‘Eric Birling’ and Diana Payne-Myers ‘Edna’. The cast is completed by Michael Ross, Portia Booroff, Elissa Churchill and Jonathan Davenport.

Tickets for Daldry’s visionary, radical and challenging version of JB Priestley’s classic thriller An Inspector Calls can be booked online at www.theatreroyal.com or by calling the Theatre Royal Plymouth Box Office on 01752 267222.

top image: An Inspector Calls Tour 2018 -19. Courtesy of Mark Douet.