Tweet

Inspector Calls Reopens as Feelgood Extends

Stephen Daldry's award-winning production of JB Priestley's An Inspector Calls will re-open in the West End this autumn after a summer break. The show closed at the Garrick Theatre, where it had been resident for nearly six years, on 14 April 2001 in order to make way for Alistair Beaton's political satire, Feelgood. From 20 September 2001, An Inspector Calls begins a new open-ended run at the Playhouse Theatre.

Now renowned internationally for his film directorial debut with Billy Elliott, Stephen Daldry first mounted his neo-expressionistic reworking of Priestley's classic 1946 thriller at the National Theatre a decade ago. It had subsequent seasons at the West End's Aldwych Theatre and on Broadway before transferring to the Garrick in October 1995.

The drama throws the comfortable and complacent middle class world of the Birlings into chaos when a mysterious police inspector arrives at the family home one night to enquire about the death of a young local girl. In total, the acclaimed production won 19 major awards in London and New York.

Meanwhile, back at the Garrick, Feelgood, which opened on 26 April 2001 (previews from 21 April), has extended its run. The New Labour comedy, starring Henry Goodman and Nigel Planer, had been booking to 15 September but is now taking bookings to 27 October.

First seen at the Hampstead theatre in January, Feelgood is set at a political party conference, in the leader's hotel suite, where the spin-doctors are sweating over the Prime Minister's speech. With public opinion increasingly volatile, there are jitters at the top. The speech has got to be perfect. But, unbeknownst to the spin-doctors, there's a journalist down the corridor preparing to expose a scandal so far-reaching that it could topple the government.

Casting details for the Playhouse run of An Inspector Calls have not yet been announced.

- by Terri Paddock

Related Content