The story is engaging and gradually works its way up to the climactic ending. It’s often called one of Priestley’s best works – if not, the best play he’s made – possibly because it comments on (as well as references) social issues that are still alive in Britain today. It is one of Priestley's best known works for the stage and considered … Below you will find the important quotes in An Inspector Calls related to the theme of Class Politics. An Inspector Calls was first performed in 1945 in two Russian theatres (Moscow's Kamerny Theatre and Leningrad's Comedy Theatre), as a suitable British venue could not be found. So I hope you enjoy this period piece as much as i did. Mr. Birling is a successful businessman, and lives in a nice, possibly large house, with a maid, and likely other servants too. After Goole has left the youngsters feel ashamed and the engagement is halted but Arthur Birling, doubting the inspector's authority, rings the local police station. In 1986 Richard Wilson directed a production at the Royal Exchange, Manchester with Geraldine Alexander as Sheila Birling, Hugh Grant as Eric Birling and Graeme Garden as Inspector Goole. Arthur and his wife Sybil seem happy, although Sybil is reserved at the meal. With David Thewlis, Lucy Chappell, Miranda Richardson, Ken Stott. Instant downloads of all 1423 LitChart PDFs (including An Inspector Calls). He tells them of the suicide of a young woman named Eva Smith and though they all claim not to have known her the inspector demonstrates that each in their own way contributed to her downfall, by having her dismissed from work or, in the young men's cases, having sexual relationships and then abandoning her. Sheila begins as a naive and self-centred young woman, but becomes the most sympathetic member of the Birling family over the course of the play, showing remorse for her part in Eva's downfall and encouraging her family to do the same. B. Priestley, first performed in the Soviet Union in 1945[1] and at the New Theatre in London the following year. Like her husband, she refuses to accept responsibility for the death of Eva Smith, and seems more concerned with maintaining the family's reputation, even going so far as to lie and deny that she recognizes the girl's picture. The character of Inspector Goole was played by the Bengali matinee idol Uttam Kumar, the character being renamed "Sub-Inspector Tinkari Halder". He represents the capitalist ruling class, repeatedly describing himself with pride as a "hard-headed businessman", and is arguably the main subject of Priestley's social critique. The production was directed by Rosalyn Ward. Goole's questioning reveals that each member of the family had contributed to Eva's despondency and suicide. He remains unaffected by the details of the suicide, and his own concerns appear to be avoiding scandal, insisting that Eric account for the company money he stole, and convincing Sheila to reconsider her break with Gerald (so as to secure a promised Croft-Birling merger). The play is studied in many British schools as one of the prescribed texts for the English Literature General Certificate. B. Priestley that was first performed in 1945. Goole's true identity is left unexplained, but it is clear that the family's confessions over the course of the evening have all been true, and that public disgrace will soon befall them. For other uses, see, 1945 play written by English dramatist J. The various encounters with Eva Smith are shown in flashback, while they are merely narrated in the play, which broadens the action. Long considered part of the repertory of classic drawing-room theatre, the play has also been hailed as a scathing criticism of the hypocrisies of Victorian and Edwardian English society and as an expression of Priestley's socialist political principles. Sybil Birling, "a rather cold woman" of about fifty, is Arthur's wife. At the mention of Eva's alias "Daisy Renton", Gerald starts. The mysterious 'Inspector Goole' interrupts a wealthy family's family party to tell them a young woman died of suicide that night. Was this review helpful to you? An Inspector Calls is a play by J. B. Priestley with an even more mind-boggling ending. A BBC Schools version of An Inspector Calls was produced in three 30-minute episodes, shown between 22 September and 6 October 1981 on BBC1. Following the suicide of a young woman from the local town, an inspector calls unexpectedly to interrogate the wealthy Birling family. This cheat sheet includes An Inspector Calls structure, form, authorial intention, context and all the quotes you need. This, coupled with the Inspector's omniscience (knowledge of everything), creates an image of an avenging angel on a moral crusade for greater social responsibility. This article is about the play. Learning from a second call to the infirmary that no recent cases of suicide have been reported, the family surmise that the Inspector was a fraud and that his story was fictitious. Inspector Karl (Louis Koo), the eponymous inspector who pays a visit to the opulent Kau family estate, where things are not as rosy as they appear. don @ minifie-1, I went into this with an open mind, as i knew it was a remake. An Inspector Calls, themes: Gender. Another followed in 1979, Инспектор Гулл (Inspector Gooll), starring Juozas Budraitis as Gull (Goole), Vladimir Zeldin as Arthur Birling and Ivars Kalniņš as Gerald Croft. At the Birlings' home in the industrial town of Brumley, Arthur Birling – a wealthy factory owner and local politician – celebrates his daughter Sheila's engagement to a rival magnate's son, Gerald Croft. Sheila's interrogation. The Birling family are holding a dinner party to celebrate the engagement of Sheila to Gerald Croft, the son and heir of Mr Birling’s rival in business. B. Priestley 1945 play of the same name. Running to 105 minutes, it was produced and directed by Harold Clayton, and starred Julien Mitchell as Arthur Birling (reprising his role from the first British stage production), Mary Merrall as Sybil Birling, Joy Shelton as Sheila Birling, Derek Blomfield as Eric Birling, Alastair Bannerman as Gerald Croft, Madeleine Burgess as Edna, and George Hayes as Inspector Goole. GCSE English Literature An Inspector Calls learning resources for adults, children, parents and teachers. Arthur and Sybil are outraged by Eric's actions, and the evening dissolves into angry recriminations. The play's success and reputation were boosted by a successful revival by English director Stephen Daldry for the National Theatre in 1992[3] and a tour of the UK in 2011–2012. He reminds the Birlings that actions have consequences and that all people are intertwined in one society. An Inspector Calls The production was staged by Cedric Hardwicke. The upper-class women within 1912 society are shown to be respected and wealthy—obedient by their husbands. Arthur tells Gerald he knows the Croft family considers themsel… 119 of 133 people found this review helpful. (Critics have speculated that the play's themes were considered too negative and critical for wartime British audiences). View production, box office, & company info. But what's that got to do with them? Despite vigorous cross-examination from Goole, she denies any wrongdoing. LitCharts Teacher Editions. Although there are a few Write about: • how Mr Birling responds to her family and to the Inspector It emerges that each member of the family has a guilty secret - each one is partly responsible for her death. [4] The family is visited by a man calling himself Inspector Goole, who questions the family about the suicide of a young working-class woman in her mid-twenties. Gerald's revealed affair with Eva puts an end to the relationship, though Sheila commends him for his truthfulness and for his initial compassion towards the girl. Her diary, the Inspector explains, named members of the Birling family. She represents the younger generation's break from the selfish behaviour and capitalist views of its forebears. Both during and after Goole's visit, the Birlings question his credentials, and a phone call to the local police station reveals there is no one by his name on the force. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. B. Priestley highlights socialist ideas and ideals through the representation and treatment of woman in the play. This is the third in a series of articles on the themes of the play, ‘An Inspector Calls’. Inspector Goole. He is distanced from the rest of the family and feels he cannot talk to them about his problems. By J.B. Priestly 2. This was so good that i actually watched it three times back to back, as every scene was so immersive and tense. Eric, Sheilas brother, drinks heavily and appears mildly upset. A 2004 Hindi film based on the same play, Sau Jhooth Ek Sach (One hundred lies, one truth) starred Mammootty as the Inspector and was also a critical success (a 2010 remake was however panned). An Inspector Calls is a play written by English dramatist J. After the new wave of social realist theatre in the 1950s and 1960s, the play fell out of fashion, and was dismissed as an example of outdated bourgeois "drawing room" dramas, but became a staple of regional repertory theatre. An Inspector Calls by J.B. Priestley is a three-act play in which an inspector questions members of a wealthy family about the death of a girl who worked in a factory. Goole comes to Sybil next, whom he identifies as the head of a women's charity which the pregnant and destitute Eva turned to for help. Keep track of everything you watch; tell your friends. [24][25], A second version of Pughe's adaptation was broadcast on the BBC Home Service on 12 November 1960. He was so commanding throughout and more than a match for the wealthy opposition he encountered that night. An Inspector Calls. Arthur and Sybil are horrified, and Sheila returns her engagement ring. Add the first question. Based on the short story by Agatha Christie. However, when the woman disappears, the other passengers deny she ever existed. The first radio production was broadcast on the BBC Home Service on 27 March 1950 in the Contemporary European Theatre series. Produced and directed by Naomi Capon, it starred John Gregson as Inspector Goole, Heather Sears as Sheila Birling, Nora Swinburne as Sybil Birling, William Russell as Gerald Croft, Edward Chapman as Arthur Birling, Hilda Campbell-Russell as Edna, and Alan Dobie as Eric Birling.[17]. He seems to be familiar with every detail of the case already, interrogating the family solely to reveal their guilt rather than to discover unknown information. Produced by Alfred Bradley and directed by Geoffrey Ost, it starred the Sheffield Repertory Company: George Waring as Arthur Birling, Ann Woodward as Sybil Birling, Jeanne Davies as Sheila Birling, Keith Barron as Eric Birling, Patrick Stewart as Gerald Croft, Geraldine Gwyther as Edna, and John Pickles as Inspector Goole. Tom Baker played Inspector Goole in a 1987 production directed by Peter Dews and designed by Daphne Dare that opened at Theatr Clwyd on 14 April then transferred to London's Westminster Theatre on 13 May 1987. B. Priestley, first performed in the Soviet Union in 1945 and at the New Theatre in London the following year. She is asked to stay up late during the play by Mrs Birling to make tea for the Birling family. It has been read as a parable about the destruction of Victorian social values and the disintegration of pre-World War I English society, and Goole's final speech has been interpreted variously as a quasi-Christian vision of hell and judgement, and as a socialist manifesto. ‘An Inspector Calls’ is a socialist wolf in frock coated sheep’s clothing and a great bit of storytelling too. [15] The production returned to the Playhouse in London's West End in November 2016, with Liam Brennan in the name part.[11]. The romantic idea of gentlemanly chivalry towards "fallen women" is also debunked as being based on male lust and sexual exploitation of the weak by the powerful. This FAQ is empty. The production was directed by Jeremy Mortimer. Gerald believes that Goole is not a police inspector, that the family may not all be referring to the same woman, and that there may not be a body. Use the HTML below. So if you like good drama you would be hard pressed to beat this and all the more amazing was the fact it was mostly delivered in a drawing room, so that speaks volumes for the way it was acted. An Inspector Calls is a British play by J. He set 'An Inspector Calls' in 1912 because that era represented the opposite of what people were hoping for in 1945. ‘An Inspector Calls’ Quotations Generation gap Sheila - ^Fire and blood and anguish _ Guilt Responsibility Sheila Inspector Gerald - an attractive chap about thirty, rather too manly to be a dandy but very much the easy well-bred man-about-town. [9] The play had its first British production in 1946 at the New Theatre in London with Ralph Richardson as Inspector Goole, Harry Andrews as Gerald Croft, Margaret Leighton as Sheila Birling, Julien Mitchell as Arthur Birling, Marian Spencer as Sybil Birling and Alec Guinness as Eric Birling. A second 90-minute BBC Radio adaptation was transmitted on BBC Radio 4 on 29 May 2010 in the Saturday Play slot. Eric is presented as a "Jack-the-Lad" character with a drinking habit, which led to his raping Eva and getting her pregnant. The story is centred on a mysterious inspector, who investigates the socially ambitious Birling family and a dinner guest following the suicide of a young woman. The play also arguably acts as a critique of Victorian-era notions of middle-class philanthropy towards the poor, which is based on presumptions of the charity-givers' social superiority and severe moral judgement towards the "deserving poor". He is investigating the suicide of a young woman and the events leading to her death. [23] This was followed by a BBC Light Programme production on 10 June 1953. As the leader of a charitable organisation, she assumes a social and moral superiority over Inspector Goole, whose questioning style she frequently refers to as "impertinent" and "offensive". Gender gap Gerald Directed by Guy Hamilton. It is suggested in the final scene that a quite real investigation will follow Goole's, and his purpose has been to warn the family in advance and encourage them to accept responsibility for their wrongdoing. The screenplay was adapted by Desmond Davis and directed by Guy Hamilton. A 2015 Hong Kong film reinterpreted the story as a black comedy, adding slapstick elements. The Inspector's supernatural attributes are recognised by Sheila, who realises the homophone (same pronunciation but different meaning) of Inspector Goole's name: "ghoul". The success of the production since 1992 has led to a critical reappraisal of Priestley as a politically engaged playwright who offered a sustained critique of the hypocrisy of English society. Alastair Sim starred as Inspector Goole, renamed "Poole" for the film, with Jane Wenham as Eva Smith (the character not seen in the play), Eileen Moore as Sheila Birling, Arthur Young as Arthur Birling, Brian Worth as Gerald Croft, Olga Lindo as Sybil Birling and Bryan Forbes as Eric Birling. Have you ever wondered what the ending meant? An Inspector Calls is a 2015 British thriller television film written by Helen Edmundson, based on the J. While traveling by train, a young socialite is befriended by a charming yet enigmatic older woman. An Inspector Calls Photos View All Photos (10) Movie Info. She derides women like Eva as immoral, dishonest, and greedy. [10][11] It won the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Revival of a Play, and was widely praised for making the work involving and politically relevant for a modern audience. The Suspicions of Mr Whicher premiered in 2011 and starred Paddy Considine as Jonathan 'Jack' Whicher, a detective leading the investigation into a notorious child murder in the 1860s. Could one of them be the killer? But after reading it, I felt both exhilarated and baffled. The play's success and reputation were boosted by a successful revival by English director Stephen Daldry for the National Theatre in 1992 and a tour of the UK in 2011–2012. Written by However putting that all to one side the acting was simply top drawer and David Thewliss contribution was truly spellbinding. 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