An Inspector Calls at the New Wimbledon Theatre - Review

By Diana and Jude

An Inspector Calls is playing at the New Wimbledon Theatre for the final stop of its UK tour, delivering a visually striking, engaging and enjoyable performance.

The cast are strong across the board, with performances that keep the audience locked in from start to finish. Sheila (Leona Allen) is a real standout. She feels like the only character who actually learns something from the Inspector’s visit and brings some much-needed heart to the story.

The staging is very well designed, with clever lighting and a brilliantly designed house that helps build a tense and mysterious atmosphere. The way the house is dynamically able to open and close accordingly to what is happening to the characters is very effective. It pulls you right into the Birlings' world and sets the tone perfectly.

The moral message of the play, which focuses on treating people with kindness and taking responsibility for your actions, is not very life changing and a bit basic, but it still hits home. It is more about making you think than solving a mystery.

The twist at the end is great and definitely gets the audience talking. The open to interpretation ending leaves you wondering what was real, what it all means and all the possibilities of what really happened.

If you're a student studying this for GCSE, it is well worth seeing. Watching the characters come to life on stage and visually watching the story unfold may help with that dreaded revision.

Overall, An Inspector Calls is a solid production with great performances and plenty to think about.

4 stars