
Venue Cymru, Llandudno, May 13th – 17th 2025 and touring

A PW production. Directed by Stephen Daltry. Written by J. B. Priestley
“Send not for whom the bell tolls, it tolls for thee.” John Donne, Meditations.

J. B. Priestley’s play is now regarded as a 20th Century classic and rightly so. Especially since Stephen Daltry’s revival in the 1990’s it has become a staple in so many English Literature curriculums up and down the country. Would this production live up to the play’s reputation? Tonight, it certainly did.
The action focuses on the highly successful Birling family who are celebrating the betrothal of their daughter to the son of a rival business firm. As this takes place, an inspector knocks at the door and informs them of the death of a woman, Eva Smith, from a painful suicide. The inspector in turn interrogates every member of the Birling family and the fiancé to uncover their part in Eva’s demise, something that they had been unaware of and felt no responsibility for. In a dramatic climax, the family understand that this inspector was a mysterious imposter and that there was no suicide so intend to carry on as usual, until they get a phone call informing them of the death of a woman through suicide and that an actual inspector is on his way to investigate.

The cast communicated the powerful nature of this play really well. Tim Treloar was excellent as the inspector and Leona Allen striking as Sheila. However, in a play with much confrontation there were times when dialogue was lost as people spoke very quickly and the music while adding drama to the action could be too loud. The set was effective, with the dining room of the family set above the stage. When the family realises they will be disgraced by their callous treatment of Eva, the room collapses. There is attention to detail. When Mrs Birling walks from her house, a carpet is rolled out for her to walk on.

The play has several layers of meaning, some obvious, others more subtle. The most striking point is that we belong to a society and have a duty of care to a greater or lesser extent for each other. A laudable ambition which is undermined by an inherent selfishness that we all seem to possess. Less apparent is how the play attacks the hypocrisy of Victorian and Edwardian society and its attendant class system. As the song “All things bright and beautiful” illustrates, ‘the rich man in his castle, the poor man at his gate’, a structure ordained by God. Priestley’s socialist views reacted strongly against this idea.

The play is regarded as a drawing room drama, and as such, it has waxed and wained in popularity as presentation fashions have changed in time. However, the play has an enduring appeal and is a timely reminder of our sense of common humanity. It is of course a hard hitting call to conscience to be mindful of the less privileged in society and ensure that they can access a decent lifestyle. It may not be comfortable viewing, but it is compelling theatre with a highly pertinent point to make in our increasingly materialistic society.
