Opening Scene

Question 1

When is it set?

Answer 1

It is an evening in spring, 1912

Question 2

What is the house like?

Answer 2

The dining room is of a fairly large suburban house

Question 3

What is the house like inside?

Answer 3

not cosy and homelike.

Question 4

Lighting before and after Inspector

Answer 4

The lighting should be pink and intimate until the INSPECTOR arrives and then it should be
brighter and harder.

Question 5

Where are people sat at the table?

Answer 5

Arthur Birling at one end, his wife at the other, Eric downstage and Sheila and Gerald seated
upstage.

Question 6

Edna description

Answer 6

EDNA, the parlourmaid, is just clearing the table,

Question 7

What do they celebrate with?

Answer 7

Champagne glasses

Question 8

Arthur Birling description

Answer 8

Arthur Birling is a heavy-looking, rather portentous man in this middle fifties with fairly easy
manners but rather provincial in this speech.

Question 9

Mrs Birling description

Answer 9

His wife is about fifty, a rather cold woman and her husband’s social superior.

Question 10

Sheila description

Answer 10

Sheila is a pretty girl in her early twenties, very pleased with life and rather excited.

Question 11

Gerald description

Answer 11

Gerald Croft is an attractive chap about thirty, … very much the well-bred young man-about-
town.

Question 12

Eric desciption

Answer 12

Eric is in his early twenties, not quite at ease, half shy, half assertive