An Inspector Calls

On Thursday 3 November, a group of 180 students from Medina and Carisbrooke Colleges travelled to Southampton to watch a production of the play An Inspector Calls at the Mayflower Theatre.  This play forms part of the GCSE English syllabus. It was an opportunity for our students to experience the play which will enhance their understanding and hopefully their enjoyment of the text.

An Inspector Calls, one of J B Priestley’s best-known works, was written in 1945, although the action takes place over a single night in 1912.  The play centres on Inspector Goole’s interrogation of the Birling family, following the death of a young girl called Eva Smith. Are they to blame?

Students were asked, “What was the best part of “An Inspector Calls”? Over fifty students responded. Here are a few of their views on the performance.

I liked the added details, for example the group of people near the end of the play representing all of the ‘John and Eva Smiths’ who are suffering silently in society.  Oliver K.

I liked the part where the house fell down because it resembled the family falling apart. Ruby B

I really enjoyed the stage set and how the rich were above the poor, really highlighting Priestley’s view on social responsibility.  It really helped me understand the text better and will benefit my revision massively. Emily B

The house collapsing as the relations between the family fall apart – the sparks flying around, the house falling to its side, and the plates just smashing – definitely caught me off guard. Set was a 10/10, I would see it again. Francis C

I thought the set was really good and my favourite part of the play was the end when the family realised the inspector wasn’t actually from the police. Jack C

My favourite part of seeing the play was the inspiration I got from the set design. I am also taking drama for my GCSEs, so to see how the set designer took the text and the era, as well as the characters and reflected that through the set and the costume was very interesting and inspiring.  Summer G.

I loved all the hidden messages we see on set. First, the children suffer in silence and the inspector is the only one able to talk to them as he’s a socialist. Then the umbrella is the only thing left behind by the inspector and that is being used to cover Shelia, showing that she is no longer sheltered by her parent’s capitalist views. Lexie G

I think that it was a thought provoking play with a very spectacular set! Isabella H.

The best part for me was when the house went boom and tipped over, I think they did it to give us a visual that the family was falling apart after they each found out what they had done to this girl. And I liked how the house went back up when the person on the phone said there wasn’t a dead girl there, Mr and Mrs Birling basically thought everything was okay and the house going back to normal really showed that. George S.

I loved it, before I didn’t understand the whole story line of An Inspector Calls but watching it really helped me understand what was going on and how each of the characters felt. Jaszmine W.

As you have read, the students not only enjoyed the play but they have also reflected on it. We hope that this will assist their understanding of the play and their revision for their upcoming GCSE exams.

As always, our students were a credit to their respective Colleges. Thank you to all the staff who supported the trip – it is much appreciated.