AN INSPECTOR CALLS
This is yet another excellent production at Theater 40 in Beverly Hills! It was my friend Nina2’s first visit to this unique venue, and although she’s usually very critical of shows we see, she really enjoyed this one. That’s recommendation enough! And I’m adding my own.
David Hunt Stafford and Mouchette van Helsdingen. Photo by Gabriel Tejeda-Benitez, as is the eone above.
An Inspector Calls is basically a psychological whodunit. It all takes place over one evening in 1912, during a celebration in the living room of an upper-crust British family when—guess what?—an inspector calls! But it’s as relevant today as it was when written…in 1945! (More on that in a bit. But, the writing and production of the original play itself is a fascinating study, so I suggest that, when you finish reading this review, and seeing the show at Theatre 40, you research it a bit.)
You do not need to know more than that set-up going in. But I do have to say that the production features another excellent set by Jeff G. Rack, spot-on costumes by Michael Mullen, and a really good cast—all the actors are perfect in their roles, even the two silent ones. The other sextet affects good English accents, as well, the lack of which in other shows often makes me crazy.
Isaac W. Jay and Katyana Rocker-Cook. Photo by Gabriel Tejeda-Benitez.
I’ve seen this play twice before—in 1996 at the Ahmanson and in early 2019 at the Wallis—and remembered liking it, but not any of the action. (Other than that an inspector calls, of course!) But I do know that this production features two major changes, which are good ones.
First up is a different set than the modern norm. Since the show’s revivals of the early ’90s, (and how I’ve seen it both times,) there’s usually a tiny house in the middle of the stage, which seems far away. The opening dinner party scene takes place on the top floor, which makes it hard for the audience to figure-out what everyone’s saying, and from exactly which character each line is coming. I love the little house, but that staging makes it kind-of difficult to get into the show from the beginning. But, since Theatre 40 wouldn’t have the space for a far away edifice like that, anyway, this one takes place on a normal stage, which is how playwright J.B. Priestley meant for it to be all those decades ago to begin with! I liked it better this way; the story is much easier to follow.
The set by Jeff G. Rack. Photo by Karen Salkin.
Perhaps even better than the proper set this time is that director Cate Caplin made the inspector…a woman! I usually don’t like anything different done to original scripts, (and especially as far as age, race, and gender go, which more often than not makes things confusing,) but it really works in this case. The tall, handsome actress, Mouchette van Helsdingen, who plays the role with just the right amount of arrogance, really looks like an imposing British inspector. And I like that Inspector Goole is now a tough woman, intimidating the family. So that’s a beneficial modification.
David Hunt Stafford and Monty Renfrow. Photo by Gabriel Tejeda-Benitez.
My only small complaint about the production at all is that the lighting is a tad too dark. I know what they’re going for—lighting in old-time English houses was not bright. But I really did need it to be a little lighter here. I always find dark stage lighting to be depressing, and it puts me to sleep. And in this case, I really wanted to see the actors’ faces better because their reactions are part of the tale.
What I appreciated even more than the intriguing tale and excellent execution of it is that the societal and political aspects of the story are very relevant today. Before the inspector leaves, she tells the family, “We are responsible for each other.“ And adds, “If men will not learn that lesson, they will be taught it in fire and blood and anguish. We don’t live alone.” That’s a lesson that I feel that most people still need to learn today.
Mouchette van Helsdingen and Diana Angelina. Photo by Gabriel Tejeda-Benitez.
In addition to the entertainment value of An Inspector Calls, the message is really about helping each other, which you know I always applaud.
This last part actually did make me chuckle a bit. At one point, because of the official inquiry into a death, the father, (played by Theatre 40 Artistic Director, David Hunt Stafford,) says that he’s upset that now he may not get a knighthood! That is so Trump of him.
Let me just end with a happier thought—all the detectives on Dateline would be jealous at how quickly this one is solved!
An Inspector Calls running through December 14, 2025
Theatre 40 241 S. Moreno Drive, Beverly Hills
310-364-0535 www.theatre40.org
THEN MOVING TO:
The Manor running January 8-18, 2026
Greystone Mansion 905 Loma Vista Drive, Beverly Hills
310-364-3606 www.theatre40.org
