An Inspector Calls at Blackpool & Salford
Oscar-nominated director Stephen Daldry’s (Billy Elliot, The Reader) celebrated production of JB Priestley’s gripping thriller An Inspector Calls returns to Blackpool’s Grand Theatre where it opens the tour, followed by the Lowry in Salford.
Hailed as the theatrical event of our generation and fresh from a hugely acclaimed run in London’s West End, the production has become the most successful revival of a play in British history.
Neil Thomson, the Grand Theatre’s CEO said, “The Grand has embarked on an ambitious programme, bringing quality drama and dance to Blackpool and the North West. An Inspector Calls marks the beginning of what will be a very exciting season for the theatre which will be officially announced on 10th January, at the production’s opening night.”
An Inspector Calls is set in April 1912, at the home of the prosperous Birling family. Arthur Birling, his wife Sybil and their children Sheila and Eric are in the drawing room celebrating Sheila’s engagement to Gerald Croft, heir to the most successful family business in the North of England.
Their cosy celebration is suddenly interrupted when their parlour maid announces the arrival of “the Inspector”. He is visiting the Birling home as part of an inquiry into the death of a young woman. As the Inspector’s investigation unfolds we learn that they each have secrets linking them to the tragedy. His startling revelations shake the very foundations of their lives and challenge us all to examine our consciences.
Written during the winter of 1944/45 An Inspector Calls premiered in the West End in 1946. This current production, directed by Stephen Daldry, made its National Theatre debut in 1992. Since then the play has clocked up over 4,000 performances worldwide making it the longest running revival of a play in history.
An Inspector Calls is produced by PW Productions, one of the West End’s most prolific and significant theatre production houses, responsible for some of the most successful theatre productions in British theatre over the past 28 years. PW Productions are co-producers of the hugely successful Nutcracker! choreographed by Matthew Bourne and presented the West End transfers of The Madness of George Dubya and Bombshells starring Caroline O’Connor, both at the Arts Theatre.
The drama season continues at The Grand throughout 2012 with Shakespeare’s Globe and English Touring Theatre’s Anne Boleyn in March and The Diary of Anne Frank, the latest production from The Touring Consortium and York Theatre Royal, comes to The Grand in April.
An Inspector Calls is at the Blackpool Grand from 10 – 15 January and 31 January – 4 February, 2012 at the Lowry.
