I’ll admit it; I’m a theatre dork. I have a deep love for a well done Shakespeare or Chekov production, I follow Playbill.com obsessively for the latest theatre news, and a trip to New York where I see a few Broadway shows is my idea of a great vacation. Some shows require a theatre dork to appreciate them, but AN INSPECTOR CALLS is not one of those! Here are this dork’s five favorite things about this show.
1. Have you seen this cast? Helen Hedman, who blew me away in THE GLASS MENAGERIE, plays the family matriarch, Sybil Birling. You may remember Stephen Hilton from Lyric’s recent productions of BIG RIVER or SWEET CHARITY. Matthew Alvin Brown, who has performed for Lyric for 20 years, does a great job as the younger Mr. Birling. Lyric newcomers Victoria Hines, Paul Mitchell, and Rachael Barry all turn in impressive performances. And local star, Jonathan Beck Reed, is simply haunting as Inspector Goole. Read more about their credits here.
The cast of AN INSPECTOR CALLS. Photo by KO Rinearson.
2. It rains. Live. On stage. No, you, as an audience member, will not get wet. But you will experience one of the most unique effects I’ve seen in a play.
See the white streaks in this photo? Those are rain drops. Falling indoors.
3. AN INSPECTOR CALLS bears several resemblances to the PBS hit “Downton Abbey.” They speak in British accents, the Birlings are an upper-class family, and the costumes look very similar. If British television is your thing, then this is the show for you.
The cast of AN INSPECTOR CALLS. Photo by KO Rinearson.
4. It packs a punch in only 90 minutes. That’s shorter than the “Downton Abbey” season finale!
Helen Hedman, Victoria Hines, and Stephen Hilton. Photo by KO Rinearson.
5. I love a murder mystery- particularly at this time of year!
Matthew Alvin Brown, Paul Mitchell, and Victoria Hines. Photo by KO Rinearson.
I’ve listed my top 5 things about AN INSPECTOR CALLS; now fess up, what are yours?
