Review of An Inspector Calls at Milton Keynes Theatre

First performed in 1945, J. B. Priestley's An Inspector Calls is a remarkable play, a morality play of the highest order, a study of character, an examination of the soul within us all. Unsurprisingly, this is always in production due to its strong characters, perfect for any actor to devour and digest. Therefore, with little surprise, it is back at Milton Keynes Theatre again, with many a GCSE student in the audience, as it remains on the curriculum. So, with so much potential, this couldn't go wrong as a production. Could it?

An Inspector Calls tells the story of a Birling family dinner rudely interrupted by a forthright inspector, Goole. He arrives with news of the death, by suicide, of a 24-year-old girl and challenges each one present on how they may have come to influence the girl's decision.

From an acting point of view, director Stephen Daldry's production is excellent, with a strong cast bringing the Birling family, plus one, to the stage. The leader of the house, Arthur Birling, played by Jeffrey Harmer, is played with the required pomposity. Talking openly of his likely honour incoming, "only a knighthood", and his rightful high place in society. This righteousness, of course, is tilted off balance by Inspector Goole and his accusations, which he attempts to bat off at every opportunity.

Even more disarming of his accusations is the lady of the house, Sybil Birling, played in an always-right manner by Jackie Morrison. Morrison has commented that she took Margaret Thatcher as an influence in her approach to the always-correct, despite-the-consequences attitude. You can see this very much in her performance.

The cast's younger members are equally as good, with Leona Allen as the Birling daughter Sheila taking the biggest journey of realisation. Allen begins in an annoying, spoilt brat manner, and very much, the character you can imagine has done what Goole accuses her of. As the evening progresses, the whole horrific situation truly dawns on her, and Allen takes Sheila excellently on the journey from brat to guilt-ridden young girl.

George Rowlands as the son, Eric Birling, is more broken to begin with, equally spoilt in attitude and naive, but much more understanding of his part in the whole sullied affair. Simon Pothecary, on as cover as the non-family member, Sheila's fiancé Gerald Croft, has less stage time, but brings the vital reversal as he initially appears crestfallen by the news, but returns, after thought, dismissing the whole affair.

Finally, of the cast, we have Inspector Goole himself, and Tim Treloar is excellent in the role. He is commanding, dismissive, comic, and controlling as needed. He happily plays with the family's emotions where he can and challenges those who dismiss his story.

So, where does this production fall? Sadly, while impressive in look, the design confuses and muddles what is very much a "drawing room play".

On the curtain rise, the initial delight at Ian Macneil's set quickly disappears as it becomes clear that this is much more clever than practical. There is beauty in the curtain rise, as rain storms down around the towering, doll's house-like Birling home, and it all looks stunningly cinematic. However, it quickly becomes clear that a more straightforward approach would make for a better production.

Within the family home, dialogue is lost to poor sound, characters reveal themselves through comically small windows and doors, and even after the house opens up, the set continues to challenge the cast rather than assist as a backdrop. There is no logic in the Inspector being "invited" into the home, for all the characters' interactions to then occur on Brumley's cobbled streets. The whole set battles against the play's staging.

Yes, it is spectacular when the house collapses, symbolising the destruction of the Birling family. However, it becomes a clumsy backdrop for the characters, with stage-strewn crockery and cutlery, not to mention Gerald's ridiculous challenges on this return. It is a big idea that looks good on paper but has no place in Priestley's carefully structured work.

There is some good in the design, though. Rick Fisher's lighting often looks stunning, and Stephen Warbeck's compelling music adds so much to the atmosphere. However, like the cast, the good has a running battle with the set.

An Inspector Calls is a stunningly clever and emotive play that needs strong performances and nothing big and brilliant in its staging. This production has them, and while the story is muddied in the production, the main message still battles through, although I suspect those less familiar with the work could find it challenging to keep up with events. It is a play everyone should see at least once, but with over-design, I can't recommend this as the one.

Directorial decisions and design detract from a still powerful and exceptional work.
⭐⭐⭐

Performance reviewed: Tuesday, 20th May 2025, at the Milton Keynes Theatre.

An Inspector Calls is at Milton Keynes Theatre until Saturday, 24th May 2025.

For details of the tour of An Inspector Calls, see the website at https://aninspectorcalls.com/

For further details about Milton Keynes, see their website at http://www.atgtickets.com/venues/milton-keynes-theatre/

Production photos: Mark Douet