Review- An Inspector Calls and other plays

An Inspector Calls and Other Plays by J.B. Priestley

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


A collection of four plays, the titular work, 'An Inspector Calls', is by far the strongest and most powerful. A police inspector arrives at the house of a wealthy family to question them about their involvement in the suicide of a young girl. Their actions, and their attempts to justify them, expose the tawdriness of their apparently respectable values. The characterisation is a little stock (the young rake, etc), but the tension is built effectively, and the social democratic message fits naturally with the story.

'The Conways' tells the story of a family breakdown , with the acts shifting in time. In 'I have been here before', a mysterious stranger arrives at a hotel and proceeds to tell the residents of his conception of time. 'The Linden tree' concerns a professor of history facing forced retirement at the end of the second world war.

The writing in all of these plays is good- brisk- although they sometimes feel superficial. There are a lot of upper middle class characters arguing about science vs religion, the fate of man under socialism and so forth, over plenty of good port. The stage directions are sometimes unintentionally amusing- a young man turning up without a hat is often a portentous sign. The servants are generally good hearted, drop their aitches, and provide comical respite. Too often, there feels little at stake.

I have been here before is certainly the weakest of the plays- the mystery protagonist talks nonsense about the nature of time at some length- for much too long, in an unintentional irony.

Overall then, 'An Inspector Calls' is the only play of the four that encourages repeat reading, as it sucessfully creates conflict that does not rely on family spats. And the inspector's powerful final speech lasts in the memory:

'We are members of one body. We are responsible for each other. And I tell you that the time will soon come when, if men will not learn that lesson, then they will be taught it in fire and blood and anguish'.



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