Doll Piccotto, Myles Kenyon Rowland, Erik Gandolfi, and Sydney Harmon Photo by Christian Pizzirani

As the title implies, an inspector arrives at the Birling home, telling the assembled that a young girl, Eve, has died at the infirmary from drinking disinfectant. Information left by the suicide victim has implications to the gathered family, who are the parents, Arthur and Sybil, and their adult children, Sheila and Eric. They are joined by Gerald Croft, Sheila's fiancé and scion of the family that owns Arthur's major business competitor. Arthur delights in this marital alliance as he foresees the companies being able to reduce expenses and raise prices.

The engrossing An Inspector Calls follows in the English tradition of Agatha Christie's Murder on the Orient Express and And Then There Were None, in which all of those in the collected party are shown to have motive to wish the victim disappeared or dead. Like those novels, this plot line becomes predictable, and the viewer can anticipate the pins falling and begin to guess the connection of each character to the victim.

But when it seems that the tale is told, audience members may look at their watches and see that there are still 20 minutes left in the estimated run time of two-and-a-half hours. That remaining time conceals the twist that makes An Inspector Calls distinctive and ultimately satisfying.

Playwright J. B. Priestley was a dedicated socialist, and his sympathies are ingrained in the play. He depicts these wannabe aristocrats as self-serving, vapid and supercilious. The characters are well-delineated and probably pretty representative of their class.

In particular, the playwright reveals numerous ways that the moneyed and influential individuals used and abused the victim. That is not to say that he condemns the whole class, as two of the perpetrators at least show remorse and wish to do better. Despite her treatment, the deceased, virtually unseen working-class girl is shown to be virtuous and not seeking retribution or recompense.

Priestley introduces another behavioral element that may be more concerning than their condescension, and that is moral corruption that has current day implications. This involves the distinction between a transgression that is exposed versus one that remains sub rosa. One character is positively giddy at the thought that a wrongdoing may remain hidden, focusing only on the scandal if made public rather than the consequences of a girl losing her life.

Mark Anderson Phillips directs and has assembled creative elements that enhance the narrative. Ron Gasparinetti's uncluttered, all-white set acts as a canvas for Brittany Mellerson's predominately black-and-white formal costumery and Paul Skelton's very clever mottled, patterned and filtered lighting treatments. George Psarras's sound design adds to the mystery.

If the performance that I viewed is representative, the greatest area for improvement is the delivery of dialog. With a booming voice and assertive manner, Erik Gandolfi as Arthur consistently convinces, as does Myles Kenyon Rowland as the dissolute Eric. Others all have strong moments or good overall performances, but, at the performance I attended, there were abundant incidents of halting delivery, muffed lines, and mumbled, inaudible, or hard-to-hear dialog. However, the overall affect and accent of cast members work well.

Enthusiasts for this genre should find the play and production an enjoyable experience.

An Inspector Calls runs through October 20, 2024, at City Lights Theater Company, 529 South 2nd Street, San Jose CA. For tickets and information, please visit cltc.org.