“An Inspector Calls” follows the story of a turn-of-the-century, upper class, British family as their celebratory dinner is interrupted by an unexpected visitor, an inspector. What starts out as a simple investigation over the death of a young woman, who seemingly has no connections to the family, turns into a dramatic and incriminating spider web that proves no action is independent of another.
The play, which was performed at NEIU’s Stage Center Theatre Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays from Oct. 8- 24, was complete with a beautiful set that one wouldn’t expect to see. Every part of the set was elegantly done, from the fancy table setting to the illuminating chandelier to the makeshift wall that is so technically well done that it appears as though it is a permanent fixture. The hardwood floor was also an eye-catching element. Beautiful in its own right, it elevated the opulence of the entire set, as though only people of wealth would dare walk on it.
The show’s costuming only helped to give credibility to the actors. The attempt to make the aristocratic characters look affluent could have easily gone gaudy, but was in fact tastefully done. The men looked of their rank with those of higher power wearing tuxedos.
The inspector wore a trench coat and bowler hat that made him look ready to battle Britain’s frigid night air while still looking respectable. The women wore dainty yet demure gowns with their hair classically done up, emphasizing their wealth. Everyone looked the part, and had a still been taken at any point, it would have been beautiful.
Revolving around six characters, the play was well acted for the most part. Daniel Ochoa (Inspector Goole) did a wonderful job as an inspector set on extracting information and enacting justice. With stoic facial expressions, his interrogation would be enough to make anyone convict his or herself. He possessed charm despite portraying a somewhat harsh character, and could convince anyone that he’s a more experienced actor than he is.
Elisabeth Jackson (Sybil Birling) played the role of a pompous aristocrat wonderfully. From her upturned nose to her smug smile, there was no doubt that she was not one to not admit her faults. She expressed herself amazingly, successfully portraying internal pain to the audience without overacting.
The standouts of the show were Andrew Berlien (Eric Birling) and newcomer Caitlin Inman (Sheila Birling). Playing siblings, they complemented one another very well and each showed a certain versatility and vulnerability within their respective characters that made them a pleasure to see on stage.
Inman’s emotional portrayal of a woman who realizes her mistakes was strong enough to make any audience member recall any past regrets and identify. Her transition into the moral compass of the play was heart touching and noteworthy, and hopefully is only the start of many more performances to come at Stage Center.
Berlien should also be commended on his comedic timing. Adding the right amount of humor to the show, it was enough to keep the play from being too severe without overpowering the conscientious storyline. Not an easy feat, but Berlien handled it superbly.
While the majority of the cast was delightful to see, the same could not be said of Mark Heard (Arthur Birling) and Hans DeBartolo (Gerald Croft), whose weak performances fall flat. One scene of the show involves only the two, and it is a painful three minutes for anyone to experience.
The story is set in Britain, but these two could have you fooled. Heard’s attempt at a British dialect came off as more of flamboyant southern drawl which made him seem like less of British aristocrat and more of a reproduction of Beverly Leslie from the TV show “Will & Grace.” DeBartolo’s dialect wasn’t much better as his attempt was as haphazard as Britney Spears’s lip syncing at the 2007 Video Music Awards (VMA’s). It was only there on occasion, and when it was, it was as pitiful as Dick Van Dyke’s in “Mary Poppins.” Throughout the show he drifted between it, a Midwestern dialect, and at various points sounded like a valley girl.
Overall, the production had a great deal of potential. The storyline is intricately woven and fascinating, the costume and set impressed even those who are used to attending Stage Center productions, and several of the actors showcased talent that was enough to make you laugh and whimper within minutes of each other.