Review: AN INSPECTOR CALLS, The Alexandra - Tour
Photo credit: Mark Douet
Stephen Daldry’s revival of J.B. Priestley’s An Inspector Calls at The Alexandra, Birmingham, is nothing short of a revelation—a masterful production that feels as fresh and urgent today as when it first stunned audiences.
Having studied the play at GCSE, it is a story that has remained close to this reviewer's heart for many years. The 2015 film adaptation starring David Thewlis was a roaring success, reawakening this reviewer’s imagination and reminding them of the timeless magic of Priestley’s work.
It is clear that An Inspector Calls is back on the reading lists for this year’s academic study, as buses filled with GCSE and A-level students arrived at the theatre. Yet inside, not a peep could be heard—a true testament to the power of this production. At times, you could hear a pin drop.
From the moment the curtain rises, Ian MacNeil’s breathtaking set design establishes an atmosphere thick with tension. The Birling family’s imposing house looms like a dark, towering doll’s house on stilts—its windows revealing ghostly glimpses of the family within. The combination of Rick Fisher’s stark, evocative lighting and Sebastian Frost’s meticulously crafted soundscape plunges the audience into a world where shadows dance, rain lashes, and the air seems to drop several degrees. It is a chilling, cinematic spectacle that grips the audience even before a word is spoken.
At the heart of this production is Tim Treloar’s commanding performance as Inspector Goole. Treloar’s stillness is his power—an intensity that draws the audience into his quiet, methodical interrogation. Around him, the cast embody the crumbling facade of respectability with flawless precision. Jackie Morrison is formidable as Sybil Birling, exuding an icy ruthlessness that makes her character’s callousness utterly believable. Leona Allen’s Sheila Birling undergoes a striking transformation—her initial naivety giving way to a raw awareness that is both moving and compelling.
Particular praise must be given to Alice Darling’s Edna, a near-silent figure whose constant, understated presence speaks volumes about class disparity. Darling’s performance is a subtle, haunting reminder of the countless lives affected by the casual cruelty of the privileged.
Stephen Warbeck’s music is the final, exquisite touch—an atmospheric score that underlines the play’s mounting tension without ever overpowering it. Notably, the decision to run the performance without an interval works brilliantly, maintaining an unbroken sense of urgency and impending reckoning.
Daldry’s production does more than revisit Priestley’s classic—it reawakens it, making it a searing critique of social irresponsibility that is as vital today as ever. The seemingly small choices of the privileged become monstrous in their consequences, and the final, devastating moments linger long after the curtain falls.
In a world where inequality is as stark as ever, An Inspector Calls is essential viewing. A masterwork of direction, design, and performance—haunting, thought-provoking, and unmissable.
***** Five stars
Reviewed by: Alanna Boden