Plays

An inspector calls

by J.B. Priestly

Synopsis: Set in 1912, shortly before the start of WW1, the play begins in the dining room of a wealthy upper-class family in England. A dinner party is taking place, and the members are congratulating each other on their various successes, and generally feeling pretty pleased with themselves. However, the atmosphere is interrupted by the entrance of a local inspector, who has come to report the suicide of a young woman. As it is slowly revealed that each of the party guests had a hand in causing her death, the tactics of blame and accusations, and the overall shame and sorrow mean that the night will be the most memorable night of their lives...

Review: There is an obvious exposure of the hypocrisy of the upper classes throughout the play, which Priestly does not shy away from. Inspector Ghoul, the worker's hero throughout, provides the mouthpiece for a subtle call to social justice, as he systematically dismantles each of the party goers defenses, whilst deploring their actions. Both saintly and dark- the bringer of truth, and the grim-reaper of fun times- he has a spiritual an omnipotent air about him, something which is only hinted at but never revealed throughout the play, and which huge spaces for speculation as to exactly who, or what, he is.

It's difficult to review this play without revealing too much of it, (which is the last thing I want to do, so shocking and central to the entertainment factor are the twists). So, first of all let me confirm that by reading this review, you won't stumble upon any spoilers, and secondly, rather than risk giving away too many details, I've divulged only the broadest themes. The very human reactions of each of the characters upon discovering that they share a handful of guilt is an important factor to the plays overall realism and enjoyment, and you feel that it's as much of a psychological analysis as it is a piece of evening entertainment (which is probably why it's part of many teenager's GCSE reading list!). Having read the play rather than seen it, it is a truly fantastic evening read, as you can picture the reactions of the characters as if they were in front of you. What's more, the themes are so universal, that you could easily picture modern adaptations across the world- a rooftop party in Beverly Hills, with Denzel Washington entering as "Detective Ghoul" is a personal favorite of mine ;)                    

Score: 9/10