reviews
An Inspector Calls
Birmingham Repertory Theatre
07/02/05
theatre
When I was a child, my family would spend hours, paying a ludicrous board game called Mousetrap. We would spend hours building a nightmarish, Heath-Robinson style contrivance for capturing said rodent, only to be forever disappointed once we set it off, by an anti-climactic whirring of levers and pulleys, with much noise and no substance.
The set designers of this new production of the perpetually popular J. B. Priestly play have, presumably, fond memories of the game, and the ludicrous and overbearing animated stage set bears startling similarities to it. In fact, there were times that it seemed more suited to an episode of Noel's House Party than the stage of the Rep, where it threatened to overwhelm the brilliant contributions of the various cast members.
Equally bizarre was the fact that the set, sound effects, props and extras' costumes were clearly of World War Two vintage, when the dialogue firmly sets the play in 1912.Nonetheless, the acting was superb, even if, occasionally Inspector Goole (a commanding performance from Stephen Day, on stage almost throughout the interval-free 100-plus minutes) spoke too fast, with his back to the audience, so that a few of his words could not be clearly heard. Sandra Duncan as Sybil Brirling gave a much deeper interpretation of her character than her overbearing pompousness initially suggested would be possible. Newcomer Kate McGuinness, as her daughter Sheila, proved herself to be name to watch out for in future.
The play is touring, and will be at Wolverhampton Grand Theatre from 15-19 March 2005 and Coventry Belgrade Theatre from 26-30 April.
The set designers of this new production of the perpetually popular J. B. Priestly play have, presumably, fond memories of the game, and the ludicrous and overbearing animated stage set bears startling similarities to it. In fact, there were times that it seemed more suited to an episode of Noel's House Party than the stage of the Rep, where it threatened to overwhelm the brilliant contributions of the various cast members.
Equally bizarre was the fact that the set, sound effects, props and extras' costumes were clearly of World War Two vintage, when the dialogue firmly sets the play in 1912.Nonetheless, the acting was superb, even if, occasionally Inspector Goole (a commanding performance from Stephen Day, on stage almost throughout the interval-free 100-plus minutes) spoke too fast, with his back to the audience, so that a few of his words could not be clearly heard. Sandra Duncan as Sybil Brirling gave a much deeper interpretation of her character than her overbearing pompousness initially suggested would be possible. Newcomer Kate McGuinness, as her daughter Sheila, proved herself to be name to watch out for in future.
The play is touring, and will be at Wolverhampton Grand Theatre from 15-19 March 2005 and Coventry Belgrade Theatre from 26-30 April.