Review: Fine cast brings British classic 'An Inspector Calls' to life with all its edginess
'An Inspector Calls'
Written by J.B. Priestley, directed by James F. Ring, presented by Barnstable Comedy Club
What's the play about?
This tense drama neatly skewers the pretensions of a class-based British society, circa 1912. The hypocrisies of the well-to-do are turned upside down for the members of one small, self-satisfied family, all over the course of one evening. A mysterious “Inspector Goole” calls upon the Birling family, just as they’re all congratulating themselves on their good fortune and the prospects for a prosperous future.
The unwelcome stranger lays out the family’s hypocrisies, each of their acts formerly unknown to the others, calling them to account for self-serving actions that led to a woman’s death by suicide. Each character begins to see how their selfish acts are woven into the fabric of the tragedy, and each must decide how to hear and respond to the revelation of what they’ve brought about.
See 'An Inspector Calls' or not?
This is a classic of mid-20th-century British theater. It’s considered to be one of Priestley’s best plays, written as a kind of crime thriller, with each revelation building on the one before and a clever twist in the final scene, as the privileged few learn that actions have consequences.
Highlights of 'An Inspector Calls'
A talented repertory cast of seven sparks the play’s action, and each player adds a layer of tension to the encounter with the formidable Inspector Goole (Robert Minshall). There’s an especially fine performance by Kelly Kean as Sheila Birling, the daughter who painfully begins to realize the part she’s played in this interlinked tragedy. The eye-catching period set created by designer Dennis Marchant and his crew is matched by equally lush costuming by Shelly Kopyscianski.
Interesting facts about the play
The role of Goole in the original 1946 London production was written with famed Brit actor Ralph Richardson in mind, and the cast also included a young Alec Guinness playing the well-to-do son, Eric. A successful London revival in the 1990s reaffirmed the play’s status as a British classic.
Worth noting
The play was conceived as a biting criticism of British middle-class hypocrisy and showcased Priestley’s firm socialist outlook: “We don’t live alone. We are members of one body. We are responsible for each other.”
If you go
When: Performances are 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 2:30 p.m. Sundays through March 19.
Where: Barnstable Comedy Club, 3171 Route 6A, Barnstable Village.
Tickets: $25, $23 seniors and students. 508-362-6333, www.barnstablecomedyclub.org.
This article originally appeared on Cape Cod Times: Review: Barnstable Comedy Club stages a tense 'An Inspector Calls'
