STEPHEN Daldry's An Inspector Calls has been hailed as a modern masterpiece.

Epic staging, raw emotion and a sweeping score are just some of the ingredients that have made the Royal National Theatre's production a smash hit all over the world, and winner of more awards than any other play.

It is now ten years since Stephen Daldry first directed An Inspector Calls for the Royal National Theatre, and in that time 30 separate casts have played in over 400 theatres.

It comes to the Festival Theatre at Malvern for one week only from May 26.

This fourth tour of the thriller coincides with the release of Stephen Daldry's second feature film The Hours. His first feature film, Billy Elliot, won over 40 awards with Stephen receiving an Oscar nomination for Best Director.

Written at the end of the Second World War and set just before the First, An Inspector Calls is a brilliantly compelling and haunting thriller.

On a dark and mysterious night Inspector Goole calls unexpectedly on the wealthy Birling family.

His revelations startle each member of the family and rock the very foundations of their lives. The suicide of a young woman known to the family causes the Birlings to examine their consciences and challenges the audiences own.

Inspector Goole is played by Nicholas Day, whose recent theatre credits include the Iceman Cometh (Almeida) and The Tempest (RSC).

Mr Birling is played by David Roper, whose extensive television credits include Geoff in Eastenders, Mersey Beat and The Royal. His recent stage appearances include Albert in Wind in the Willows (RNT).

It also stars Dominic Taylor as Gerald Croft.

Dominic has recently been seen in BBC's Doctors playing Raphael Finney and Ivan in Coupling.

The cast also includes Sandra Duncan as Mrs Birling, Katherine Tozer as Sheila Birling and Jamie de Courcey as Eric Birling.

An Inspector Calls plays in the Festival Theatre, Malvern from May 26-31.