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Having studied An Inspector Calls at GCSE, and seen Stephen Daldry’s production two years ago, it would be easy to assume a repeat watch feels somewhat redundant when you know the plot twist. But this time, I took my dad along to The Regent Theatre, and a first-timer to the story, witnessing the cogs turn and the penny drop made my second watch all the more exciting while solidifying this play’s status as a timeless classic.
Ian MacNeil’s moody set design is spectacular. The imposing, tilted house immediately commands attention and brings with it a sense of foreboding. The looming, rain-soaked atmosphere perfectly captures the sense of an unease, with phenomenal special effects that would have you believe it was really pouring indoors.
For those who didn’t have the joy of meticulously picking apart this piece of literature at the age of 15, analysing its every word, An Inspector Calls is essentially a murder mystery. Set before the First World War, the thought-provoking and haunting production has won 19 major awards, having been seen by more than five million theatre goers worldwide.
The story begins when the mysterious Inspector Goole calls unexpectedly on the prosperous Birling family home. Their peaceful family dinner party is shattered by his investigations into the death of this young woman. So, whodunnit? Who was responsible for the death of the pretty young girl, Eva Smith. That’s what his startling revelations will work to uncover as the inspector shakes the very foundations of the Birlings’ lives, and in turn challenges us all to examine our conscience.
Tim Treloar’s portrayal of Inspector Goole was utterly brilliant, bringing a different energy to Liam Brennan, who I’d seen in the role back in 2022. There’s a sense of excitement in his expressive delivery, with his line of inquiry tackled with an air of sarcasm. It’s almost sadistic how much he seemed to enjoy watching the downward spiral of the Birlings as he taunted them with their own actions, though he was simply giving them enough rope with which to hang themselves.
The other thing I loved about this production, having already become familiar with it, are the fact you start to notice different things the second time around, too – little nuances you wonder whether they’re new, or if you simply missed them the first time around.
A relatively short play at under two hours with no interval, An Inspector Calls really allows you to immerse yourself in the story. Despite thinking I knew what to expect, this timeless tale continues to be just as captivating, thought-provoking, and perhaps even more relevant now than before, with lines like Mr Birling’s: “The famous younger generation who know it all. And they can’t even take a joke,” feeling as though it could have been written yesterday.
And what was such a joy to see was an audience of so many different ages, including a number of school-age children. I love that this story is still taught in classes, though it’s not simply a lesson to be learned in classrooms, but in life too. The stage production remains to be a masterclass in how to make a classic resonate with new audiences while offering something fresh to those who’ve experienced it before. It’s unsettling, thought-provoking, and at times, deeply uncomfortable—just as it should be.
Running at The Regent Theatre until Saturday, September 28, you can buy your tickets here.
