MYSTERY DEFLATES ARISTOCRATIC PRETENSIONS.

Byline: P. Catherine Shanks Special to the Daily News

Set in 1912 England, the J.B. Priestley classic mystery ``An Inspector Calls,'' playing now at the Simi Valley Cultural Arts Center, draws on the follies and flavors of a tenuous epoch.

The tale of a time and a family in crisis takes place as the Titanic prepares to set sail and a headstrong British upper class declares through rose-colored blinders that the sun shall not set on Victoria's Empire.

``Despite incredible unemployment and degradation, an arrogance and self-satisfaction typical of late Victorian times was present,'' said director David Ralphe. ``The people felt that they had totally mastered science and nature.''

With an upwardly mobile mercantile class making inroads into the more landed ``old money'' class, the upper crust found it necessary to recognize newcomers in the ranks, and sacrifice social high ground in an effort to maintain the semblance of social stature.

``Like the Titanic, the play reflects the downfall of the English pomposity and the notion that the aristocracy is invincible,'' said Fred Helsel, who portrays the inspector. ``By the end of the play, a high-class family is brought down to size.''

Pretense dominates the plot as a familial facade is peeled away and the mystery is unraveled.

``It's a puzzling show,'' said Virginia Streat, the actress portrays Mrs. Birling, the family matriarch. ``It's one of those plays the audience argues after. You think you know everything, but, by the end of the play, you realize you were completely thrown off.''

Ralphe concurred, adding that people call or come to the theater weeks after viewing the play, convinced they have found the elusive key to solving the mystery.

Though ``An Inspector Calls'' takes place nearly 90 years ago, parallels to present-day society are evident throughout. Self-indulgence and a self-serving denial dictate the motives and acts of the precariously positioned Birling family.

``We all know families who feel they're untouchable and better than the Joneses,'' Helsel said.

Helsel said that the cast has worked hard to make this production of the turn-of-the-century play more accessible for the modern-day American audience. While they carefully preserve the integrity of the script and the study of an era, the players emphasize the inherent intrigue and humorous elements of the story.

A dialect coach worked with the cast throughout the four-week rehearsal period, insuring proper British elocution. A backlash effect caused Streat a bit of off-stage angst.

``You start using the accent in everyday life,'' she said. ``People raised their eyebrows as if to say, My, she's becoming affected.''

As the rain falls into the lives of the Birling family, real rain falls on-stage. In a first for the Cultural Arts Center, theatergoers will experience regularly scheduled precipitation from beyond the proscenium. Adjusting the rainfall to acceptable levels has proved to be quite challenging for technical personnel.

``We have to fix the rain this week,'' said Helsel, laughing. ``We are learning how to forecast it.''

Performances of ``An Inspector Calls'' will take place every Friday, Saturday and Sunday throughout the month of June. Tickets are $15 for general admission, $12 for seniors and students, and $8 for children. To reserve tickets, call [phone]. The Simi Valley Cultural Arts Center is located at 3050 Los Angeles Ave.

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Photo

PHOTO Actors John Masterson, left, and John A. Maraffi share a laugh and a smoke in ``An Inspector Calls.''