TEATRO BRITÁNICO PRESENTS:

SHOWS EVERY FRIDAY AND SATURDAY AT 8PM AND SUNDAYS

AT 7PM FROM 1ST APRIL TO 4TH JUNE.

WHERE?

TEATRO BRITÁNICO, BELLAVISTA 527, MIRAFLORES

SPECIAL PRICE FOR BRITANICO STUDENTS: S/ 15 (TWO TICKETS

CAN BE PURCHASED USING THIS DISCOUNT)

GO TO JOINNUS.COM, AND ENTER YOUR SUDENT´S CODE

PLAY DURATION: 90 MINUTES

Synopsis

As the Birling family hosts a lavish dinner to celebrate their daughter's engagement, a knock on
the door brings the evening to an abrupt halt. A determined policeman, Inspector Goole, is
investigating the death of a working class young woman, Eva Smith and has some probing
questions for everyone in attendance. As the night progresses, the stunned family begins to
unearth secrets that slowly unravel the mystery surrounding the girl's death. They find that each
of them has played a role in the exploitation, abandonment and social ruin of the young woman
that, effectively, led to her death. But only after the inspector leaves do they discover the final
twist of the story.

“An Inspector Calls” is about the responsibility that tells us that we all have a moral duty to take
care of each other.

Who is JB Priestley?

JB Priestley was born in Bradford, England in 1894 and served during World War I before going
to Cambridge to study History, Political Science and English. He settled in London in 1922 and
began a long career as a novelist, playwright, essayist, and critic. He wrote three novels in the
1920s before having his first big hit with his heartwarming showbiz story “The Good
Companions” (1929), which has been adapted for stage, television, radio and film. It was
followed by 41 other plays including "An Inspector Calls".

He died at his home near Stratford-upon-Avon in 1984.

READ THE INFORMATION ABOUT THE CHARACTERS FROM “AN INSPECTOR HAS
ARRIVED” AND THEN ANSWER THE QUIZ AT THE END OF THIS PDF.

The characters:

Inspector Goole:

He is a man in his fifties, dressed in a simple suit. He speaks carefully and has the disconcerting
habit of staring at the person he is addressing before speaking. His arrival highlights the key
theme of the work: social responsibility. The role of the Inspector is to show that our actions
have consequences and that, within a society, we are all responsible for the care of others.
Mr. Birling:

Successful businessman, active in local politics as mayor and magistrate.

Ignorant of his family's thoughts and feelings. Proud of his achievements, sees everything in
terms of benefits to his business. He does not fully regret his actions, knowing that he has lost
his reputation and social position, although he fails to learn the central message of the play,
which is to learn to take responsibility for the effect of his actions on Eva's life.
Sibyl Birling:

A rather cold woman, aware of the differences between social classes. She does not understand
the desperation that drives Eva Smith to follow the path of her own ruin, describing her as "that
girl with such a destiny." Mrs. Birling has little respect for the Inspector, trying to bully him into
leaving by lying to him and justifying her own son until she finds out the truth.

However, once the Inspector is gone, her regret is short-lived. She just wants things to go back
to the way they were at the beginning and doesn't feel any responsibility for what happened.
Sheila Birling:

A young woman in her early twenties, she likes to be the centre of attention at her engagement
celebration. However, her caring and compassionate nature is evident when she learns of her
father's dealings with Eva Smith. Throughout the play, Sheila develops a social conscience and
is aware of the responsibilities of each of the family, judging the values of both Gerald and her
parents from one point of view.
Eric Birling:

He is a socially awkward young man in his early twenties who drinks heavily. As soon as he finds
out about Eva Smith, he feels guilty for how he has treated her, although it is evident that he did
not have strong feelings for her and saw their relationship as casual. His sense of responsibility
is clear both in the way he tried to support Eva when he found out she was pregnant, and in the
way he is ashamed of his parents for trying to hide their indiscretions and their role in the girl's
death.
Gerald Croft:

He is thirty years old and the son of Mr. Birling's business rival. The engagement to Sheila is a
step up the Birling family's social ladder. Gerald's views on business, profit and the treatment of
workers are aligned with Mr. Birling's and he agrees with the way he fired Eva Smith for her role
in the industrial action at the factory. Despite his regret for his actions, he does everything he
can to discredit the Inspector and prove he could have been responsible for the girl's death.
Quiz:

1. Who wrote “An Inspector Calls”?

a. JB Priestley
b. Elvis Presley
c. Jimmy Hendrix
d. JB Presley

2. What is happening at the start of the play?

a. The Birlings are arguing
b. The Birlings are having a celebration
c. The Birlings are singing
d. The Birlings are getting ready for dinner

3. What is the Inspector’s name?

a. Ghoul
b. Goole
c. Coole
d. Choulle

4. Mr Birling is
a. a local painter
b. a writer
c. a businessman
d. an inspector

5. Mrs Birling shows little respect for…

a. the Inspector
b. her daughter
c. her husband
d. Eva

6. How old is Sheila?

a. early thirties
b. early twenties

7. Eric and Gerald are…

a. cousins
b. brothers
c. not related
d. business partners