An Inspector Calls

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The lighting puts the Birlings in the spotlight, which suggests that the inspector is here to put every member under the spotlight to try and find out the truth.

It was also almost like the inspector had special powers to open the house up. I think that in all three productions you can almost tell the inspector is not really normal. In the film and book he seems almost ghost like and creepy and in the stage production he is very mysterious and seems to know whats going to happen next. The opening words between are quite aggressive in all cases. In all three stories the inspector rattles Mr Birling's cage and gets him very angry. The difference is that in the film and book the inspector stays ice cool and is in control if the situation but in the stage production the inspector reacts more. I think this could be that that are giving the impression that this murder is much more personal to

This inspector and even might be some kind of relative of Eva Smith. I think that the film entrance of the inspector is more professional and generally more like a police officer than the stage production. Now that the Billing's house is open on the stage production is like before all their secrets were kept within that house and now everything is about to be brought out into the open. The next stage of the play is Sheila's confession. In the film and book she confesses very privately just to her family and seems to feels very guilty and knows what she did wrong and cant wait to get it out in the open while if you compare this to stage production Sheila is pushed into the spot light on the stage as if she really didn't want to it and was forced to confess.

She is only trying to protect herself when she talks so she doesn't look so bad and tries to tell them she's the victim in all of this and says that Eva laughing at her is unacceptable. Also you can hardly tell if Sheila is laughing or crying when she is talking. I think that in the book and film you have more respect Sheila and can almost forgive her for it and that she has learnt a lesson while in the stage production Sheila comes across as very stuck up and only cares about herself and know one else matters and the music sounds like she is very stropey and throwing a tantrum. SO you think, Sheila like Gerald looks more guilty just from the first impression you get from them. Also in the stage production the inspector looks disapprovingly at Sheila as to say I can't believe what your doing like he is representing the audience on what they feel. This also makes the Birling's look guiltier in the audience's eyes as they are on the side of the inspector. In the film Sheila had a much more caring voice and shows Sheila actually being laughed at which makes you feel even more sympathetic for her. In all three productions you never really ever feel sorry for Mrs Birling this is because in all three stories she comes across as very uneasy and tries her best in trying not to answer any questions and seems very posh and stuck up and looks down on the inspector and feels he is very rude towards her family. The way they emphases what a kind of a person Mrs Birling is, is by the way she over acts so you get a bad opinion of her. She does though in the stage production have confidence or in her family in that they have done nothing wrong because she is in favour of a public confession. While in the film and book she wants to keep it in the family uncase something is wrong and everyone hears about it. Then next in the stage production normal average poor people poor onto the stage as if they are coming to get the Birlings, Mr Birling takes Sheila and Mrs Birling off the stage leaving Eric there on his own with no way out its Eric's time to confess.

You feel more sorry for him in the stage production because he is trapped with no where to go. Also in the film it shows you all about his past and his affair with Sheila and might she him as that he just used Eva and got her pregnant. The stage production though does not go into as much detail as the film and text so he is seen as less of a villain. Then the scene is taken out onto the street from their house like to say this is going to be for everybody to see. Then Mr Birling starts to choke showing all his anger; he has ruined his reputation and any chance of a knighthood. Mr Birling in the book and text though is still every angry at Gerald for what he has done would like to keep it quiet so no one would hear about it because he would be ashamed of him while in the stage production he blows his top and lashed out, this is another point that makes you feel more sorry for Eric in the stage productions you actually see him getting attacked even though you don't know the full extent of what he has done. The inspector then says stop and everybody stops which is another example of what kind of power he posses. Then the inspector goes on to give his final speech which is very calm and much nicer to all the Birlings and has clamed down a lot now that he has done his job. He then walks of stage with all the children as if they trust him and he is their leader. In the film and book and exit of the inspector is more dramatic and sudden he just disappears after Mr Birling receives the phone call from the real police that they are coming round to investigate the murder. This way is spooky and makes you really wonder who that inspector could have been. Before the inspector left Mr and Mrs Birling though it was all over when they found out the inspector was a fake but Sheila and Gerald were cautious and have been taught a lesson by this inspector and were suspicious of who that man was.

When Sheila and Eric realises what they have become in the stage production there is a big dramatic scene while the book and film they just though about what they did with no action actually taken. In the stage production the houses collapses and there is a red sky and rain that adds to the atmosphere. Then a new door appaers in the background where the inspector left as to say enter for a new and better life. Then the house actually reforms to its original state, I think this is the same as when in the film they realise that the inspector is a fake and everything is back to normal. Mr and Mrs Birling want to forget about everything and denying that it meant anything. So everybody enters the house except Eric and Gerald who stay outside, not wanting to be a part of it anymore, Then Mr Birling comes and slams the door on them so they are the same as when the play started alone in the big house and its only Eric and Sheila who have seen the light and actually learnt something. Then the Birlings in the house get the real phone call about Eva. Then the curtain falls with Eric and Sheila staying infront of it. Then when the curtain rises again it's after the war and the sky is blue for the first time and there is the public in the Birling's house. So now everything is fine the Birlings are not above everybody and everybody is equal. I think the stage production ending is more effective because its much more detailed and shows Eric and Sheila away from the rest of the family and safe in their new life and are treated as everybody else. While in the Film and book they really don't break away from them and are still there when they receive the phone call.

I think that you would need to either have watched the film or read the book before you actually watch the stage production. The film gives you all the story line and much more easily to understand. If you do know the story well though I think the stage production is the most effective out of the three. It explores different parts of the story that the book and film didn't.

I think that Priestly message was he was trying to tell the Birlings what snobs they really were but trying to get into their conciseness and try and make them feel guilty about Eva. The stage production gets this view across better I feel because its clear at the end that Eric and Sheila who were effected by the inspector and now living a better life while the rest of the Birlings are no where to be seen. I think that the film ends to soon and you are not really sure if any good came from it at the end. The book and film is almost the same script. What makes the film better though is how you can see peoples facial expressions, also the music adds to the atmosphere, flashbacks make it more interesting and gives you a better idea of the story to. The stage production does have the edge over these two being more interesting, abstract and makes you think more than the text and film.