Written by J.B. Priestley and first performed in 1945, the drama takes place on one night in April 1912, in the fictional town of Brumley. The Birling family are an upper middle-class family, who live in a comfortable home and are having a dinner to celebrate the engagement of daughter Shelia to Gerald Croft. Midway through their evening, the family are visited by Inspector Goole, who questions the family's involvement in the suicide of a young, working-class woman. Each character is questioned, and comes to understand their impact on this young woman's life. In true mystery style, there are a few twists and turns, and the ending left me slightly gobsmacked.
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Photo courtesy of Mayflower Theatre |
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Photo courtesy of Mayflower Theatre |
The acting and the interesting set decisions kept me engaged throughout, and I really enjoyed the show. Seeing the way each character reacted to the suggestion that they had caused the young woman to commit suicide was really interesting. The younger generation were willing to accept how their actions have an effect on other people, while the older generation were quick to revert to their former way of thinking, that they had nothing to do with it. I think this was a really interesting stand for the play to take. There is so much social criticism involved throughout the play, I can see why it is chosen as a key text for GCSE - I'm almost jealous that I didn't get to study it!
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Photo courtesy of Mayflower Theatre |
An Inspector Calls is at the Mayflower Theatre until 21st September. Tickets are available online here and via the Box Office on 023 80711811.
* My tickets to the show were complimentary in return for my review, but all thoughts and opinions are honest and my own.
Love Lexie
xo
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