"Two hours ago a young woman died in the Infirmary...she'd swallowed a lot of strong disinfectant. Burnt her inside out..." Arthur Birling, a prosperous manufacturer, is holding a family dinner party to celebrate his daughter's engagement. Into this cosy scene intrudes the harsh figure of a police inspector investigating the suicide of a young working-class woman. Under interrogation, every member of the family turns out to have a shameful secret which links them with her death. Schools edition of An Inspector Calls For students aged 14-16 Suitable for students studying for GCSE English Literature qualifications from Pearson Edexcel, AQA, OCR and Eduqas The Heinemann Plays series offers contemporary drama and classic plays in durable classroom editions. "An excellent, easy to use edition of a modern classic. Arrived promptly ready for the start of the new term; could not fault the product or service." E Hughes, English Teacher at Abertillery Comprehensive 15 July 2014

An Inspector Calls, first produced in 1946 when society was undergoing sweeping transformations, has recently enjoyed an enormously successful revival. While holding its audience with the gripping tension of a detective thriller, it is also a philosophical play about social conscience and the crumbling of middle class values. Time and the Conways and I Have Been Here Before belong to Priestley’s ‘time’plays, in which he explores the idea of precognition and pits fate against free will. The Linden Tree also challenges preconceived ideas of history when Professor Linden comes into conflict with his family about how life should be lived after the war.

On his way to work at the bank one morning, the manager Mr Kettle freaks out. He goes back home changes into his casual clothes and sets about enjoying himself. No one apart from Mrs Kettle can understand him and why he is behaving in this way. Mrs Kettle joins him in his rebellion. The bank officials employ a doctor to hypnotise Mr Kettle and get him back to his former self.3 women, 6 men

A quiet, domesticated couple, Fred and Norah, live in a London suburb. They have married later in life than most people and are devoted to one another. It is Fred's practice to go out for a glass of bitter in the evenings and on this particular occasion, while he is away, Norah has a visitor - a flash-looking young woman, Evie and Norah is faced with a decision difficult to make.2 women, 3 men

In the drawing room of a house in the country three women are arguing over a man. The man is Colin, and the argument is heated, for one of the women is his mother, another his wife Clare, and the third his mistress Helen. All four allow their tempers to get out of control, and painful truths are told. Colin, a weak man, is on the point of leaving when there is an unexpected interruption. Outside their open windows a film director, the formidable Kramer, has been listening to their arguments and taking notes and insists that they have been indulging in bad theatre and that they must go through their parts again, but with his direction...4 women, 2 men

A one act comedy in the Viennese style. The scene shows two private rooms in a restaurnat in a Central European capital about the year 1900. In one, a vain but ageing actor, Max, who still believes he can dazzle a pretty young dancer, hopes to make love to the innocent and romantic Elsa. In the other, Julia, an older glamorous actress is entertaining a young playwright, Florian, who believes - or pretends to believe - that he is being wined and dined merely to talk about his new play.2 women, 2 men

As bankrupcy looms, the ever-optimistic Jim Cornelius, partner at import firm briggs and Murrison, is fighting to keep his creditors happy and his spirits up. Tensions rise with the arrival of Judy, the beautiful, young typist who shows Cornelius the life he could have led... Written for Ralph Richardson in 1935, Priestley observes the politics and tensions of daily office life with searing wit and humanity in this hilarious and heartbreaking story of friendship, unrequited love and business.5 women, 17 men

Stella Kirby spent nine years running away; leaving home to find her freedom as an actress. Now she has decided that the only role left to play is the prodigal daughter returned, hoping to discover herself in the familiar surroundings of her childhood home.3 women, 4 men

Ever Since Paradise he described as 'A Discursive Entertainment, chiefly referring to Love and Marriage in Three Acts'. Three couples are made up of the Musicians, the Commentators and the Example, and together they illustrate various aspects of relationships, accompanied by appropriate music on two pianos.3 women, 3 men

Charles Dickens was one of the great chroniclers of London life. From the colourful chaos of dances and gin-shops to the sparse destitution of the pawnshop and the penitentiary, he captured the grime and the glory of the English capital with singular brilliance.

Orphans and beggars, lord mayors and murderers, actors, criminals, cab drivers and prostitutes; all rub shoulders in this wonderful selection from Sketches by Boz.

Chosen and introduced by the playwright J. B. Priestley, these thirteen marvellous sketches are accompanied by George Cruikshank’s evocative illustrations.

Designed to appeal to the booklover, the Macmillan Collector's Library is a series of beautiful gift editions of much loved classic titles. Macmillan Collector's Library are books to love and treasure.

This easy-to-use guide will provide students with a thorough understanding of the text and encourage them to form their own ideas and opinions.Key features of this text: *How to study the text *Author and historical background *General and detailed summaries *Commentary on themes, structure, characters, language and style *Glossaries *Test questions and issues to consider *Essay writing advice *Cultural connections *Literary terms *Illustrations *Colour desig

The classic novel brought to life in full colour. A respectable household is shocked when a strange man visits them shortly after dinner and proceeds to unravel their prejudices and lies.

Robert Caplan and his wife are entertaining her brother and sister-in-law. Because Robert insists on uncovering the truth about his brother Martin's 'suicide', many unpalatable revelations ensue which cause Robert to shoot himself. At this point, the opening scene is repeated, but this time they bypass the dangerous corner at which the truth is demanded, thus averting the disaster. Written in 1932 this forms one of the three 'time plays'.

Disillusioned scriptwriter Gregory Dawson is holed up in a Cornish hotel writing a script he must finish. A chance encounter in the bar sends him back in time to the doomed world of his youth before the slaughter of The First World War. Caught in his own past Dawson recounts his time within the closeknit Yorkshire community in which he came of age and the magic circle of the Alington family, in whose company he spent his happiest days. As this forgotten time takes on a new shape he slowly realises that to have any chance of a bright future he must first exorcise the tragic ghost of his past. ADDITIONAL CONTENT This new edition provides additional information about Priestley's background and his inspiration for the novel. It includes biographical detail which incorporates a `literary tour' of Bruddersford (the imaginary setting for the book based on Priestley's home town of Bradford.) In this way, it places the novel in a biographical and geographical context adding extra layers of interest for readers. In the author's own words, `Bright Day is crammed with profoundly autobiographical material.' Priestley's Bradford comes alive and glows.

The Long Mirror recounts the meeting between a composer and a young woman who seems to have been telepathically connected to him for some time, and has experienced much of his life before actually meeting him. Her knowledge of his past can help his future as an artist and a husband. It was based on a true incident.

This is the first of Priestley's published one-act plays and originated as a specially written television play for the BBC. It was transmitted from Alexandra Palace first on 27 August, 1946; Priestley went on to adapt it for the stage in 1947. The setting is the public bar of The Rose and Crown, a small pub in North-East London, one evening in early autumn. Into the bar comes an assortment of working-class characters who, with one notable exception, are fed up with life.3 women, 4 men

The Good Companions focuses on the trials and tribulations of a concert party between the World Wars. It was arguably Priestley's most famous novel, written in 1929, and the work which established him as a national figure. This 1931 stage adaptation was dramatized jointly by Edward Knoblock and the author in 1931.3 women, 7 men