Ripon Rowel PlayersRipon Rowel PlayersM4 (25, 30, 50s) F3 (20s, 50). A dining-room.
The action of the play occurs in an English industrial city when a young girl commits suicide and an eminently respectable British family is subject to a routine inquiry in connection with the death. An inspector calls to interrogate the family, and during the course of his questioning, all members of the group are implicated lightly or deeply, in the girl's undoing. The family, closely-knit and friendly at beginning of the evening, is shown up as selfish, self-centered or cowardly, its good humour turning to acid, and good fellowship to dislike, before the evening is over. Surprising revelation, however, is in the inspector - who turns out to be no copper at all, but a mysterious individual with full knowledge of everyone's connection with the suicide. The novel closing switch occurs after the false inspector has been shown up and no suicide has been recorded, and an actual policeman preparing to show with a last-minute suicide reported, to tie in mysteriously with all the foregoing.
Dates: 17th - 19th November 1994
Location: Allhallowgate Methodist Church Hall
Arthur Birling Terry Smith
Gerald Croft Jeremy Suddards / Ben Lister
Sheila Birling Vicky Blades
Sybil Birling Claire Cox
Edna Linda Blades
Eric Birling Jonathon Pidd
Inspector Goole Graham North
Producer: Anne Harrison
Stage Manager: Audrey Hewson
Costumes: Norma Hill
Hair: Liz Gardner
Props: Linda Blades & Judith Graham
Publicity: Norma Hill
Prompt: Ida Lothian
Front Of House: Viv Schornagel
While Jeremy Suddards was originally scheduled to play the role of Gerald Croft, he was forced to rush off dramatically during the opening night. He was taken to hospital and diagnosed as having appendicitis! Ben Lister, who was in the audience, stepped into the breach (having done the part before) and performed with a script for the remainder of the run.
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© Copyright 2002 by Ripon Rowel Players.