At a basic level, the plot is quite simple. The Birling family are celebrating the engagement of their daughter, Sheila Birling, to Gerald Croft when an inspector arrives. He questions each one of them in turn, enquiring about a girl (later found to be Eva Smith/Daisy Renton) who has died after purposefully swallowing some disinfectant. The inspector reveals that all of them had a part in her death. He makes a dramatic speech about the consequences of the sort of social irresponsibility that Mr.Birling had been preaching at the dinner table, earlier that same evening. In his speech, the inspector states:
“We don’t live alone. We are members of one body. We are responsible for each other.”
The play is a microcosm of society. In the Daldry production, I felt that the crowd of people, who appeared out of smoke at the back of the stage, in order to represent the lower classes, was done to create a sense of their power and significance as well as the number of people who are wrongly treated. Their presence echoed the inspector’s final speech as he warned the Birlings of what their attitudes and actions could cause:
“But just remember this. One Eva Smith has gone – but there are millions of Eva Smith’s and John Smith’s still left with us, with their lives, their hopes and fears, their suffering and chance of happiness, all intertwined with our lives, and what we think and say and do.”
Following, this speech, Gerald returns after having left the house a while before, with news that there is no such inspector as Inspector Goole, the others think about this. The older generation come to the conclusion that they have “been had” and begin to return back to how they were before the inspector questioned them. However, the younger generation (Sheila and Eric Birling) cannot just relax; they still feel responsible for what they have done and Priestley shows his hope of change in society through their speech and actions. In the Daldry production, they do not go back into the house; they stay outside on the cobbles. Sheila realises “You’re just beginning to pretend all over again.” Eric also states what is true – “And I say the girl’s dead and we all helped to kill her – and that’s what matters-“
Finally, as the play comes to an end, and Mr and Mrs. Birling and Gerald believe it was all a “hoax”, they receive a telephone call from the police, saying that a girl had died: “-on her way to the infirmary-after swallowing some disinfectant. And a police inspector is on his way here – to ask some questions.” Priestley introduces another twist to the play here, to create many possible endings as the Birlings “stare guiltily and dumbfounded,...” as the curtain falls.
Although, the basic plot is fairly simple, there is an underlying moral, which Priestley conveys in many ways and through different characters. Sheila Birling is one of the more sensitive characters in ‘An Inspector Calls’, as she clearly becomes fully aware of her responsibility and, despite her parents, is prepared to change her selfish ways. She exclaims towards the end of the play- “I want to get out of this.” I think she is referring to the strict way of life her family lead, which has become apparent to her through the inspector’s interrogation. However, Sheila and Eric are the only two of out the family (including Gerald) to realise this. Priestly purposefully allowed the younger generation to be morally right because he wanted things to change, in terms of social and political states and hoped the next generation would make this change.
In Daldry’s production of ‘An Inspector Calls’ Priestley’s ideas of an equal society emerging after the second world war, was shown at the end of the play. As the final curtain falls, Sheila, Eric and Edna (the Birling’s maid) are standing, facing the audience, at the front of the curtain, with the Birlings and Gerald Croft in the house, but in front of them the extras stand, and when Mr.Birling tells of the news from the police, whom he answers the phone to, the extras almost force open the house. Sheila, Eric and Edna represent the coming of a new era in society and are facing up to what they have done and wanting to do something about it, whereas the older generation of the Birlings and Gerald are hidden away in their house and I felt, when watching the performance, they were being left behind in their old, class-ridden world as they chose to ignore reality and were not shown as being responsible for their actions. Also, the extras were left standing in front of the Birlings to represent there forthcoming equality in the world. They were used as visual metaphors for Priestley’s ideas.
In addition, the play could become slightly didactic and just seem to be enforcing Priestley’s moral message. However, the playwright avoids this and keeps the play entertaining and dramatic. This is done by the constant theme of “whodunit?” within the plot, as the Inspector’s motive is to systematically question the Birlings about their role in Eva Smith’s death. Priestly also creates a sense of mystery in the Inspector through his name – “Inspector Goole”. The name “Goole” is obviously a pun of ‘Ghoul’ conjuring up images of ghosts and the supernatural, which is perhaps how Priestley wanted the Inspector to appear, as the Birling’s conscience even.
The photograph the Inspector shows to the characters in the play becomes a puzzle to the Birlings, and the audience towards the end of the play, as they discover he could have shown different photographs to all of them. However, despite whether the photographs were the same or not, I think Priestley wants us to realise that it doesn’t matter and the literal image of the photograph is representative of the many Eva Smith’s of the world. This idea of Priestley’s is repeated in the Inspector’s final speech, as quoted earlier.
Priestley has each act set in the dining room of the Birling’s house, but to create a more surreal, theatrical atmosphere, Daldry has a high impact set. It is unrealistic, with the raised up house almost centre stage, which is slightly out of proportion. The Birling family appear too big for the house. However, this unrealism created by Daldry is not accidental and purposefully created for impact, but it is also symbolic of Priestley’s ideas of the house and its residents being a microcosm of society.
Furthermore, the backdrop used within the set also reminds the audience of Priestley’s idea that the Birlings are a microcosm of society. It comprises of a wasteland with one other house in the distance. This reiterates the message that Priestley is trying to convey to audience that the Birlings are only one example and there are lots of families like them. The war scene is a link to the future and events which are to come. In the play, Mr.Birling does not believe the country will go to war, as he says:
“Fiddlesticks! The Germans don’t war.” and “There isn’t a chance of war.”
As there was a war, this shows how wrong he was.
To begin with, in the Daldry production, the house is close up with some light chatter from the Birlings, sitting comfortably at their dining table. This reflects one of the main themes, which I think Priestley wants to raise – responsibility, or the lack of it from the Birlings, as we later discover. The shutting of the house could be compared to the shutting, or hiding away of the Birlings, safe in their own house. On the other hand, when the Inspector arrives, the house slowly opens, whilst mournful, cello music is played. I think that this recreates Priestley’s idea that the Birlings can no longer hide and have no choice other than to reveal their secrets. Also, to support this belief, in the text, the Inspector enters just as Mr.Birling is making his pompous speech, where he informs Gerald and Eric of his philosophy: “…a man has to make his own way – has to look after himself - …” It is relevant that the Inspector enters at this moment, as he is the catalyst for the revelation of the Birlings’ confessions. He is the one who breaks their level of authority and brings to their attention, their immoral behaviour, which had leaded them to having a part in Eva Smith’s suicide.
As supposed to entering from the wings (off the side of the stage) the Inspector enters through the audience. He strolls down the left hand side of the auditorium and this is how Daldry creates a shocking and mysterious atmosphere. Priestley writes that the Inspector “...need not be a big man but he creates at once an impression of massiveness, solidity and puposefulness.” By having the actor playing the Inspector walk through the audience, in order to reach the stage, Daldry recreates Priestley’s description of his first appearance.
It is also appropriate that the Inspector stand under a streetlight, within Daldry’s set, on arriving and the beginning of his questioning. This light represents the ‘light’ the Birlings must come into, to confess. Following his first questions, the characters begin to drift down to the where the Inspector is standing. In particular, Shield Birling feels it necessary to stand facing the audience near to the streetlight, when reciting her involvement in Eva Smith’s/Daisy Renton’s death. Daldry does this because in the play, Sheila was one of the most moral characters and the first to admit what she had done. Daldry also gives these stage directions to the actors/actresses playing the characters as they symbolise Priestley’s wish that the upper and lower classes will soon be equals is society. As they walk down the stairs, they are metaphorically stepping ‘down to earth’ and to the lower classes.
Later, when all of the Birling’s secrets have been revealed and after the Inspector has made his final speech, the house tips up like a bomb blast. When watching the production, this was very shocking to me and produces a very dramatic climax, which can only enhance the way the Birling’s superficial values have been destroyed and they are no longer as important as they appeared to be.
Moreover, the Inspector, in his final speech, warns the Birlings that if they do no “learn that lesson, then they will be taught it in fire and blood and anguish.” The collapse of the house, in Daldry’s production, following this, is almost a continuation of the Inspector’s last words and is, in fact a harsh warning of how the Birling’s lives could be destroyed, by “fire and blood and anguish,” just as Eva Smith’s life was. Daldry uses this effect to dramatise the Inspector’s last words, so that the audience realises just how important they were and still are to the present day audience. On a similar, level, in Priestley’s original script, the Inspector’s final words are supposed to have a high impact on the Birlings and significantly enlighten them to the realism of their situation and acts which resultantly ended in the girl’s death. Priestley expresses his feelings through the Inspector, in the play, which is also apparent in his last words and reiterated in the Daldry production (collapsing of house). The Inspector wants the Birlings to realise their immoral ways and change the way they treat other civilians, rather than ignoring the wrong they have done, as consequences later will be far worse. Priestley is conveying this same message to his audience.
In my opinion, the collapsing of the house is only a small insight to other things which could be disrupted in a much greater and distressing way for ht Birlings and the rest of the society which they represent. I think therefore, this was Daldry’s intention when deciding upon the collapsing of the house and it was also a method which enhanced my understanding of the play.
Naturally, the costumes the Birling’s wear (in Daldry’s production) reflect their personalities as well as the time period and social status. All of the Birlings begin wearing very formal dress. The men wear suits and the women, luxurious dresses. However, underneath the posh dresses and suits, are selfish and shallow characters. The technique of costume design is used by Daldry, to hide the Birling’s shallowness and allow them to ‘put on a front’. In particular, Sheila is first portrayed as innocent and young, as she wears a white dress in Daldry’s production of the play. Differing is Mrs.Birling who wears a very grand, red dress to symbolise bold and arrogant character. Daldry’s choice of costume is suitable, as at the beginning of the play, Sheila refers to Mr.Birling as “Daddy”. This creates an image of Sheila being a child and children are often perceived as innocent.
On the other hand, Mrs.Birling is clearly very self-important and speaks with a tone of authority and important in Priestley’s play. For example, when Sheila says Eric is “squiffy”, she replies with: “What an expression, Sheila! Really the things you girls pick up these days!” Also, she treats Edna, the maid, with a lack of respect (showing her feeling that she is socially correct). She orders Edna about: “All right, Edna. I’ll ring from the drawing-room when we want coffee.” The fact that the Birlings have a maid shows their social superiority.
In addition, in Daldry’s production, the extra’s clothing is not so luxurious and generally dark grey. For me, this echoes a dirt, damp atmosphere that the lower classes were referred to as being, which can be related back Priestley’s social message of the play. But, Edna is a lot more involved in Daldry’s production than in the actual play. Towards the end of the play, she sits on the Birling’s chair to indicate that she is on a level with them and no longer inferior.
The costume of the Inspector differs again from the Birlings and also the extras. He is dressed in a grey mackintosh and wears a fedora. Appropriately, his clothes have references to the war, which is later to happen, as the play was set in 1912. As mentioned previously, the Inspector is almost sent to the Birlings as a warning of the outcome of their actions and foreshadows events to come. I think this is exactly why Daldry has the Inspector dressed in this way and this can only enhance my understanding of the play. Sheila Birling realises their faults and Eric agrees with her. When the Inspector has left and the Birling starts to think he wasn’t a police inspector after all, Sheila can see that this doesn’t make a difference and they have still done wrong as she says: “Well he inspected us all right.” and “Between us we drove that girl to suicide...You began to learn something. And now you’ve stopped.” Eric agrees: “It’s what happened to the girl and what we did to her that matters.” Again, this is Priestley’s way of showing how he believes the younger generation should begin to act.
As the play continues and more of the Birling’s secrets are revealed, their costumes also deteriorate. This is Daldry’s way of showing how they are becoming on more of a level with the lower classes and their hidden shallowness is now also being revealed.
Another stage direction that Daldry uses, which relates back to Priestley’s main ideas about the play, is the positioning of the telephone box. It is outside of the house, on ground level, to the left and front of the stage. Simply the position of it resembles reality and in the twist at the end of the play, Mr.Birling has to come outside of his safe world, inside of the house, to answer it. This signifies that he cannot escape reality and must face up to his actions.
Finally, in order to show the that morals and meanings of the play are still relevant for a modern day audience, in Daldry’s production, the house lights are switched on for the Inspector’s speech and the core message of the play he has to deliver. Even though you may be watching how the Birlings have misbehaved, this is a reminder to the audience that no one should behave as they did and always face up to their responsibilities, which is the message Priestley wanted to convey in his play of “An Inspector Calls”.
To conclude, I found that watching a production of “An Inspector Calls” immensely enhanced and furthered my understanding of the play, in many ways as explained and analysed thoroughly in this essay. Although Priestley’s ideas were noted when reading the play in class, I felt they were conveyed more emotionally had much more meaning when acted. All plays are supposed to acted in order convey the meanings of them in this way and I found Daldry’s production created that emotion and meaning extremely effectively.
