Arts > Theatre

An Inspector Calls @ Theatre Royal

02/12/15

“Fire and blood and anguish” were all prevalent in Stephen Daldry’s adaptation of An Inspector Calls’ last night at the Theatre Royal. The extreme emotions of the actors, the excessive special effects and the bizarre, twisted set made for a thrilling evening full of suspense.

The central protagonist, Arthur Birling, was played by Geoff Leesley, who has accumulated numerous television appearances; including Casualty, Eastenders, and even Little Britain! His fictional wife Sybil Birling was played by Caroline Wildi, who has also appeared in Eastenders, and was undoubtedly one of the stand-out performers, with the perfect balance of hilarity and sincerity. The actor playing the inspector himself, Liam Brennan, delivered raw emotion and feeling; which can be said of his other work including performances of Richard III, Twelfth night and Macbeth.

The set was spectacular, with smoke machines, pouring rain and roaring pyrotechnics. The son, Eric (Hamish Riddle), brought humour to the production with his drunken state, as did the mother with her snobby comments and diva-like ways  receiving many laughs from the audience. There were several clumsy moments, mostly caused by the staircase; however small hiccups aside, the atmosphere was sustained throughout.

The entire crowd in the final scenes of the play was made up of local men, women and children; one of our reviewers, Kelly Page, took part as an extra; you’ll be able to read her review of her experience on Outline’s website soon. The iconic red phone box delivered plot twist after plot twist, with dramatic irony surfacing throughout. In the last soliloquy the audience held their breath, captivated as the inspector foreshadowed the war by saying that if a man cannot learn from his mistakes then there will be fire, blood and anguish.

8/10