Drama Inspector calls

• The inspector act 1 "looking hard" eye contact sits opposite Mr Birling-power dynamics "She crosses to him" walking purposefully forces her to follow "Burnt her inside out" matter-of-fact tone calm even tone
• The Inspector Act 2 walks between Sheila and Gerald and drives them apart "Holds up a hand" Shelia is a distraction sharp tone mimic sybils innotation pitch and accent
• Inspector Act 3 upright posture furrowed brow arm gestures emphasise "you" accusatory tone increase the volume of voice
• Birling "somewhat provincial in his speech" act 1 stands centre of attention levels optimism nudge and jovial facial expressions closed body language shake his head and tut "just let me finish eric" raise his volume and faster pace patronising tone gender roles spit out "inspector
• Birling Act 2 get close and shakes his finger standing very still "thunderstruck" tries to reassert his authority higher pitch "don't yammer and stammer" stutter or falter over lines
• Birling act 3 is far proxemics from Eric closed body language "the only active one" wring his hands and fidget with his cuffs sharp tone when he mimics the inspector "you all helped kill her" exaggerates inspectors pitch accent and inflection
• Mrs Birling widened her eyes and clasped her hands to her chest smiled at Gerald and patted his arm affectionately matter-of-fact tone and a patronising tone infantilising Sheila "Arthur!" louder volume
• Mrs Birling Act 2 "I beg your pardon" look the inspector up and down defensive body language leaning away could shake or fight to hold back tears "Im mrs birling y'know" natural phrasing and slower pace sharp tone "i dont know what youre talking about sheila" falter over lines use longer pauses
• Mrs Birling Act 3 slack posture distraught facial expressions relax her posture smile and move more freely her animated behaviour could stop abruptly and freeze still "no-eric-please" at a high pitch and strained tone sigh in exasperation because frustrated they aren't relieved laugh unusually loud or for a little to long when Birling mimics him
• Sheila Act 1 "mock aggressiveness" lightly nudges fidget with her clothes or hands dynamic lively movements upright posture poised movements "Daddy" soft breathy voice immaturity when remorseful lower her volume grave tone stutter and falter over lines
• Sheila Act 2 closed body language rounding her shoulders her movements become sudden and unpredictable "No he's giving us enough rope so that we hang ourselves" uneven tone disjointed phrasing cold tone of voice
• Sheila Act 3 places hands on hips and a purposeful stance to show she is assertive use proxemics standing away from her parents mimics Birling's "That's all" Lower the volume of her voice and copy his phrasing strained tone of voice to show she is disturbed
• Eric Act 1 roll his eyes when bickering when interrupted he could froen frustrated facial expressions stumble and drop props smile or attempt not to laugh "Squiffy" vary volume, pitch and intonation "half shy half assertive" pause for lack of confidence "women are potty about 'em" emphasised tries to seem worldly fiddle with props avoid eye contact hunched posture slurred diction
• Eric Act 2 walks on stage slowly hesitant steps he might look frantically and quickly to the other characters on stage
• Eric Act 3 "miserably" for a drink hold a glass in front of him and focus on it sadly hanging his head in shame shakes Mrs Birling violently by the shoulders and speaks in a deeper pitch and more slowly when he says to heed the inspectors warning "what does it matter whether they give you a knighthood or not? spit it out
• Gerald Act 1 Smiling and making direct eye contact an actor could stand up or step backwards or pour himself a drink received pronunciation lower volume of voice "i drink to you"
• Gerald Act 2 sits very still as he describes his affair his posture could become more hunched keep his voice level and calm natural phrasing "I'm rather more upset than I probably appear to be" An actor could breathe heavily between words. when he exits "but i'm coming back if I may hesitant tone and rising inflection
• Gerald Act 3 relaxed body language flop into a chair puts his hands behind his head puts an arm around Sheila and says "What about this ring" Gerald "slowly" reveals wasn't a real police officer speaks the next lines at a quicker pace bright tone and bouncy rhythm
• Sheila's costume was "fashionable" for a 1912 Edwardian silk tea dress with lace decorations and lots of embellishments she could have a headband made out of satin that matched her dress in colour and a delicate necklace symbols of wealth her hair was curled square neckline and chiffon sleeves layered folds of fabric deep red in colour doomed love and political alignment headband symbolic for her parents ideals she could take it off
• Inspector costume 1940s trilby hat in heavy dark brown gabardine suggests he is from the future typical costume for 1940s detective ordinary shirt and tie cotton pinstripe suit in dark grey cheaper fabrics pinstripe pattern shows he is a working man waistcoat remains buttoned
• Birling black tailcoat and white shirt with a cream bowtie and waistcoat typical evening dress of 1912 white suggests innocence ironic bow tie and shirt is crumpled middle class origins luxurious fabrics damask and silk satin facings pocket watch with a chain in gold
• Eric smart version of his fathers evening dress tailcoat, cream waistcoat white shirt and cream bowtie luxurious fabrics damask and brocade might begin with his bow tie loosened and waistcoat unbuttoned squiffy
• Gerald's evening dress but a black tie better grasp of etiquette than the Birlings white tie in 1912 weddings and formal functions dark red waistcoat connection to Sheila. antiquated ways has been internalised into the costume's luxurious fabrics of damask silk and satin.
• Mrs Birling's grey/blue colour reflects her icy cold heart satin fabric and choker with a length of pearls luxurious and historically accurate elaborate decorations and layers of fabric but a longer hemline and sleeves it's an older dress than Sheila's. reflects her age and old-fashioned beliefs jewellery is a symbol of the immoral acquisition of wealth
• sound naturalistic production a pre-recorded soundscape of cutlery scraping and glasses clinking before the light fades in act 2 Gerald and Eric the front door "slams" help establish the setting as a room within the Birlings house gramophone could play music from 1912 establishing the plays setting Birlings speech is interrupted by the ring of a doorbell diegetic sound created by recording an old-fashioned and edit for a higher pitch and a loud volume the inspector grabs attention
• non-diegetic sound used in the final moments of act 2 as the inspector reveals eva was pregnant two sets of heartbeats these could build to a climax as the characters realise who the father is
• Theatre in the round seated on all sides creates a claustrophobic atmosphere examined use of a small performance space reinforces a claustrophobic atmosphere space is necessary to show the difference in views in my staging there were no doors non-naturalistic could be inspector's ghostly characters at the end of act 1 the inspector may appear silently from the side enter and exit through the aisles unsettling
• Naturalistic production


  • Use props that show the setting as a dining room
  • Replica gas lamps would be used as the use of electricity wasn't widespread
  • Open flame isn't safe so they could be electric while looking like gas lamps
  • The dining room would be ornate and decorative
  • Use carpets, natural materials like wood and leather as plastics and synthetic materials weren't in use
  • Cost considerations could mean using a mahogany stain to create an illusion
• Dining room setting


  • Champagne glasses set the after-dinner setting
  • Telephone needed placed downstage with characters crowding around it
  • Decanter and bottles of alcohol on stage symbolise the Birlings' wealth
• When the inspector arrives


  He is offered a drink and he refused
• naturalistic lighting

  unlike the original Russian production, I would use naturalistic lighting a fire positioned upstage left and candles on the table while a chandelier shows their wealth and safety precautions it would be impractical to have an open flame so they are all electric control remotely rather than fire use fairy lights on a flickering setting to show smouldering embers which is symbolic
• "Pink and Intimate" I would include 1910s wall lights with pink lampshades symbolic of celebration when the inspector questions the Birlings the lighting becomes gradually cooler i would gradually dim the lights from onstage sources and switch to a non-naturalistic style by using floodlights and blue gel to create a cold wash I would combine this with a soft-edged Fresnel spotlight focused on the character
• Fresnel spotlight can then move across the stage and over the audience to create the effect of searchlights would highlight the post-war context and how the inspector will reveal their secrets