The department of global languages and theatre arts’ upcoming play presents a mystery filled with secrets, corruption and commentary on social class and privilege.
“An Inspector Calls” is a play written by J.B. Priestley. The story follows the investigation of the suicide of a young working-class girl in England. A rich, well-respected British family receives a visit from an inspector as part of a routine investigation into the death. Over the course of the evening, it is revealed that each member of the family is connected to the girl’s death in some way.
Daryl Phillipy, an associate professor of theatre arts and the director of the show, said as the family’s secrets come to light, the play explores “the terrible consequences of poverty and socio/economic inequality and injustice.”
Quinn Coursey, a senior musical theatre major, plays Sybil Birling, the mother in the family and as Coursey described, “a very cold hearted woman.” She said she is excited for the audience to see the corruption within the family.
“Only once (the family) think(s) their status will go down is when they act like they care about the terrible things they’ve done,” Coursey said. “The moment they realize they’re safe, they go right back to normal. It’s such (a) haunting twist that can leave you feeling a bit grossed out by their actions.”
Phillipy said “An Inspector Calls” was chosen for the fall lineup because it is a classic of modern theatre.
“It is a mystery with a strong social message,” he said, “and it provides our students excellent material to act, they learn an English dialect and they get to delve into the circumstances of some complex characters.”
Carter Parks, a senior theatre major, plays Arthur Birling, the father of the house and a “hardheaded businessman,” according to Parks. He said his favorite part of this show has been the cast.
“I feel like we all fit our roles perfectly and work off of each other very well to develop the drama of the scenes,” Parks said. “I’m excited for audiences to see the true lesson of the show … that we truly need to look after one another in this world. It’s a topical issue and I’m glad we get to tell a story that talks heavily on it.”
Phillipy said he is excited for the audience to see how the student actors have brought “this complex and important play” to life, and also to see the design elements such as scene, costume, lighting and projection design.
“An Inspector Calls” will be performed at 7:30 p.m. on Nov. 20-22 and at 2:30 p.m. on Nov. 23 in the Robert E. Johnson Theatre. Tickets are available to purchase for $15 for community members, and Murray State students get in free with a student ID. For more information on the upcoming showings, visit the campus events calendar.
