This production has been on tour since early 2003. Such is the popularity of this J B Priestley classic that two years on, it's back in Birmingham at the Rep and still packing them in! The atmosphere was buzzing with anticipation and that special magic that goes with first nights and classic thrillers. Stephen Daldry’s award-winning National Theatre production which dates back to a decade ago, has a more symbolic and impressionistic setting than for example the film version with Alastair Sim. It works beautifully: the small child, at the opening of the play, tugging at the heavy stage curtain trying to get in but failing; the house in which the rather grand Birlings live, nut-like and once cracked open, exposing some terrible hypocrisy; the cobbled street on an incline, which seemed to move things off-centre... It all worked to create an unreal yet recognisable environment. Clearly all is not what it first seems... The main players - including familiar faces - live out the drama with passion and individually are highly believable and compelling. They are without doubt assisted by both the eerie settings and immaculate costumes. The beautiful ladies' dresses, atmospheric lighting and clever positioning of actors create a production which simply works. The audience applause at the close demonstrated that once again. "An Inspector Calls" is as relevant today as when it was first written and part of the impact is that you can still relate to both the behaviour of the characters and their beliefs. The lives of the comfortable, middle class Birlings are thrown into chaos by the arrival of the mysterious Inspector Goole played convincingly by Nicholas Day. He is the kind of Inspector who will get right inside the case and force the characters to face their actions. David Roper - an imposing figure of a man - is impressive as the pompous Arthur Birling and projected himself well. Sandra Duncan is equally well cast as his haughty wife and together they play a thoroughly immoral pair who could try and get themselves out of anything! Their daughter Sheila, the only really good one in the family is played sympathetically by Katie McGuinness. Her drink-sodden brother Eric is played with conviction and at times great hysteria by Nick Barber. Mark Healy, a well-known TV face, is tall, dashing and believable as Gerald Croft, Sheila's fiancé. Elizabeth Ross plays Edna the maid, a lovely character piece and another example of "us and them". I enjoyed the evening immensely and wish the tour all the success it deserves and it now continues throughout the UK until at least the end of June 2005. Written by Clive Fuller | 
