18th October 2022
Words by Omo Ifabua
Yesterday evening, I had the pleasure of seeing Stephen DaldryÔÇÖs An Inspector Calls at the New Theatre. Having studied JB PriestleyÔÇÖs original play at school 5 years ago and watching both film adaptations, I was definitely excited to see how this version would live up to my expectations. This was my first ever theatre trip in Cardiff and the standards have certainly been set high. The performance was filled with equal amounts of suspense and humour and had the audience crying with laughter and frozen on the edge of our seats at various points in the show.
An Inspector Calls tells the story of the honourable Birling family, who are thriving in the early 20th century. On this fateful night they are celebrating the engagement of their daughter Sheila when their evening takes a turn for the worst; an ominous police officer, Inspector Goole, visits their home and claims that they are all responsible for the suicide of a young lady.
The play forces us to think about the impact that we as individuals have on wider society and although the Birlings are an upper-class family from the North Midlands, I found myself relating to them in more ways than one.
I have to mention the outstanding Christine Kavanagh, who stole the show with her hilarious portrayal of the Sybil Birling, the lady of the house. Kavanagh brought Mrs BirlingÔÇÖs stubbornness and dramatic flare to life and added a humorous twist to the character that I havenÔÇÖt seen elsewhere. Another standout performance was that of Simon Cotton who played SheilaÔÇÖs fianc├®, the charming Gerald Croft. Not only did Cotton portray the perfect Edwardian gentleman, but his spot-on delivery changed the atmosphere of the theatre and commanded the audienceÔÇÖs attention immediately.
Aside from the talented cast, I must also give credit to the set designers who transported us to the rainy streets of Brumley with their creativity. The audience saw a miniature doll-like house transform into the BirlingÔÇÖs dining room, inviting us to see the secrets that this seemingly perfect family kept hidden behind closed doors. The actors manoeuvred the set so skilfully, it was like watching a dance routine, until the house was entirely out of their control (but, IÔÇÖll leave you to find out what that means).
Overall I would give An Inspector Calls 4 out of 5 stars. The performance was a delight to watch and allowed me to reimagine PriestleyÔÇÖs classic thriller in a way I hadnÔÇÖt expected. From the talented cast and crew to the humour and suspense created on stage, the show is a great way to spend an evening in Cardiff, especially now that spooky season is among us.
Tickets available for An Inspector Calls until the 22nd October.
