An Inspector Calls Milton Keynes Theatre

“Public men, Mr Birling, have responsibilities as well as privileges”

An Inspector Calls by J B Priestly is an excellent play with a vital message that is as necessary today as it was when first performed in 1945. It is a favourite of mine having seen it several times, studied and then taught/explored it both at GCSE and university level.

The story of the death by suicide of a young woman, Eva Smith/Daisy Renton, (who never appears) and how her treatment by other characters in the play resulted in the desperate act of drinking disinfectant to end her intolerable life, “Burnt her inside out… she was in great agony”, is crafted brilliantly by Priestly.

Inspector Goole interrupts a celebratory dinner of the smug and seemingly carefree Birling family on the engagement of young Sheila to the wealthy Gerald Croft and his visit shatters their ivory tower.

The play explores the themes of class, politics, morality, love, responsibility and so much more. It enables the audience to reflect on their/society’s treatment of others, and I always hope (silly old socialist me) that people learn kindness and understanding when watching the play as well as enjoying the storytelling, it was set ‘then’ but it is equally ‘now’.

Stephen Daldry’s genius design works a treat as always; the period costumes are entirely appropriate and setting it ‘back then’ distances the audience from the attitudes of the time and the clear class divides. Yet the similarities with the here and now, the judgements so easily made and cruelties of those with influence and power is challenged and holds up a mirror to the present. As Daldry said, it is ‘a genuine conversation about the world we live in’ and can inspire social change.

As the play is set in 1912, the actors should consistently adhere to that period, yet towards the end there was a moment where the actors playing Sheila and Eric Burling appeared to double hi-five each other, a small point I know but it jarred, whilst the fourth wall was broken intentionally during the play and for the right reasons, that moment broke the magic rather than the fourth wall.

There were several school groups in which I am truly delighted to see. Anything that introduces new audiences is great; there were many moments of enrapt silence during the show so I am hopeful they will come back and see more live theatre, thank you ATG and MK Theatre for giving us a ‘straight’ play that isn’t ‘just’ a musical (much as I LOVE a musical).

However, there was the most bizarre moment when a significant section of the audience erupted into spontaneous applause, I am led to understand this is a new Tik Tock thing, well bully for them the little rebels – NOT! The company dealt with it admirably, but it was irksome, it was the wrong place and time for Boal’s Invisible Theatre and the fools wouldn’t know they were doing that.

It would be easy to overlook the maid, Edna, played brilliantly by Alice Darling who is in fact a bridge between the Birlings/Gerald and their ilk and society who are represented on stage by local actors, witnessing the collapse of the Birlings and Croft world.

The power of the play was undermined at times by the actors being too shouty which left them nowhere to go and resulted in lost dialogue, I am sure they will address this.

A key line towards the end demonstrates how, even the ‘best’ people, can also be the worst, Eric Birling to his father, “…you’re not the kind of father a chap could go to when he’s in trouble.”

This play is multi-award-winning for very good reasons, it runs until Saturday, and I urge you to see it.