“An Inspector Calls”, written by J.B. Priestly, was considered a classic of 20th century English theatre and was in the repertoire of most companies. Interestingly enough, it was first performed in the Soviet Union in 1945 and didn’t premiere in Britain until 1946. The modern revival, directed by Stephen Daldry, opened in 1992. The international touring production seen by millions of people worldwide is the longest running revival of a play in history.
Although stage curtains have become the exception rather than the rule in modern American theater, it always a thrill to me to watch a curtain go up…and think about all the possibilities. In this case, the curtain goes up to reveal almost nothing but fog, swirling about the stage. Gradually, things being to appear – a phone box, a couple of children playing in the road, a woman wielding a broom, and a glass house which looks very much like a bird cage.
The Older Boy (Trent A. Davis) teases the Younger Boy (Judah Abner Paul). Although the woman chases him off with her broom, the Younger Boy returns to stare at the house. There are people in evening clothes inside that house, and gradually, the conversation inside the house becomes audible. A daughter has just gotten engaged. Her father expresses his approval of the match, while her mother speaks of wedding plans. Arthur Birling (Jeff Harmer) and his future son-in-law, Gerald Croft (Andrew Macklin) climb out a window (weird house, remember) to a tiny balcony for a cigar.
Arthur is an arrogant, smug, blustery man who knows exactly how much to pay his workers to keep costs down. He takes care of his family, knows his place in society, and is pleased that his future son-in-law is just like him. Arthur confides to Gerald that he’s in line for a knighthood, and that he needs the next few months to be scandal-free.
As they return to the dining room, a man carrying an umbrella crosses the road and speaks with the woman with the broom who is the Birling maid, Edna (Diana Payne-Myers). She announces to her employers that an inspector is calling.
He introduces himself as Inspector Goole (Liam Brennan). He’s come about the suicide of a young woman named Eva Smith. When shown her picture, and after a great deal of hemming and hawing, Arthur admitted that she had once worked in his factory. Faced with the Inspector’s questions, he eventually explained that he’d had to let her go because she was one of the trouble-makers asking for a higher wage. He announced that he had to keep his labor costs low if he wanted to make a profit.
About this time, the glass house opens up to reveal a dining room which looks like something out of Alice in Wonderland (with furniture that is too small for the people). With a metal spiral staircase attached, the Birling family moves in and out of their home.
The inspector explained that Eva was quite alone in the world without any resources, so she’d changed her name to Daisy Renton and gotten a position in a dress shop. Shown the picture, Sheila Birling (Lianne Harvey) gasped and realized that she knew Daisy. She’d been in the shop to try on the dress, was already in a bad mood, and thought Daisy was laughing at her, and demanded that she be let go.
Her fiancé, Gerald admitted that he’d met Daisy in a dance hall. He said she didn’t belong there and gave her hope and some money to tide her over. Unfortunately, the money ran out and Daisy had to find another way to support herself.
Arthur Birling married up, and his wife, Sybil (Christine Kavanagh), will never let him forget it. She’s full of her own consequence. As Sybil came down the stairs, wearing a gorgeous burgundy colored evening dress, Edna spread a carpet on the floor. As she paced back and forth, Edna carried a chair anticipating exactly where she would sit.
Sybil is involved with a committee which helps young women who are unmarried and pregnant. Daisy came to the committee for help, explaining that she could no longer accept ‘stolen money’ from the man she’d been with. Her ‘airs and graces’ angered Sybil who criticized her for being ‘impertinent’ to her social betters and turned her away.
Finally, Inspector Goole reveals Eric Birling’s (Hamish Riddle) connection to Daisy, which enrages his father and causes his mother to have hysterics. I won’t disclose any more of the story, but be sure there are plenty more twists and unexpected turns in the plot.
“An Inspector Calls” runs through March 10th in The Yard at Chicago Shakespeare Theatre on Navy Pier. Patrons receive a 40% discount on parking in the Navy Pier Garages, so be sure and get your ticket validated in the CST lobby. Running time is roughly an hour and 45 minutes, no intermission. Performance dates and times can be found at www.chicagoshakes.com. Tickets range from $46-$88. FYI (312) 595-5600 or www.chicagoshakes.com