Who Me? Maybe. . .

There's a playground game I participated in as a young girl regarding a cookie jar and the question, who stole the cookies.  It was a rhythmic chant that tossed questions, answers and denials between the girls like a volley ball being tossed back and forth over a net.  "Who me?"  "Yes, you."  "It couldn't be."  "Then who?"

Thinking about Waukesha Civic Theatre's current production, An Inspector Calls, by J.B. Priestley got me thinking about that childhood game.  When most of us are confronted with an accusation, our first response is, "Who me?"  At times the answer is a resounding yes; but what if the answer isn't quite that obvious?

An Inspector Calls, running two more weekends February 8-17, 2013, is as Carol Dolphin deems it, "A psychological mystery-morality play intriguing enough to draw a large number of people to auditions.  As soon as I read it, I thought, 'Wow!'   A single reading gripped me.  I couldn't put it down as the plot built and took its twists.  I knew that I wanted the director's chair!"

Despite the compressed rehearsal time this production's enthralling story line was enough to keep even long-distance cast members coming to rehearsals.  Why?  With Dolphin's directing expertise as well as the cast's bringing this story to light over the past several weeks the answer was obvious.

"In the midst of celebration, a mysterious inspector visits a wealthy family, investigating the suicide of a poor young girl.  As his inquiries continue, secrets are exposed and everyone discovers a personal connection to the young woman that led her to her death.  after an ominous pronouncement the inspector departs, but the mystery looms.  The intriguing twists and turns in this psychological thriller will keep you on the edge of your seat."

Throughout the process Dolphin also discovered An Inspector Calls is one of England's production staples.  It's read in school, wrote about in papers, discussed in classes.  And as one is drawn into An Inspector Calls, one is forced to confront the questions this production and Priestley's writing invokes.  Characters, motives, responsibility, behavior and consequences are brought to the forefront and are just as relevant today as they were when An Inspector Calls was written.

Come join The Birlings as they are, ". . .forced to face some hard truths as the strong walls of their lives begin to close in around them.  Will these revelations change their current attitudes?  And who IS the mysterious Inspector?"  Dolphin asks.  Good question!

An Inspector Calls, running two more weekends February 8-17, 2013, is guaranteed to be an evening of riveting, thought-provoking intrigue.  It's a PIX FIX that will not only entertain, but it will give you something to take home and think about.  Dolphin promises, "This plot will keep you surprised until the very last line."

Who me?  Could be. . .

(WCT's Pay What You Can Performance will be February 16 at 2:00 p.m.)