DEDICATED educators in Thornbury turned to method acting to bring their pupils’ GCSE reading to life.

Castle School teachers swapped their academic gowns for period costumes for a widely-anticipated production of JB Priestley’s An Inspector Calls--an English Literature GCSE text for both Years 10 and 11.

Written in the 1940s but set before the First World War, the play centres on the inscrutable Inspector Goole as he investigates a mysterious suicide.

Deputy head teacher Andy Bethell tackled the lead role while head of English Dave Hardiman and maths wizard Rachel Beddoes played pompous Mr Birling and his cold-hearted wife Sybil.

Head of Year 11 Bob Fitzgerald and English teacher Lindsey Carruthers went all out to portray the couple’s feckless son Eric and their frivolous daughter Sheila.

Her debonair fiancé, Gerald, was convincingly played by deputy head Pete Smart while maths teacher Harriet John took on the role of their winsome maid, Edna.

The cast was completed by assistant head Nick Wolfreys and maths teacher George Ozemoya as Second World War air raid wardens, who ended the show with a rousing performance of Irving Berlin’s Let’s face the music and dance.

They were aptly supported backstage by English teachers Louise Antonczyk and Louise Branton. Shelagh Fagan, English teacher and great multitasker, shone as director and producer and script adapter.

Castle school business coordinator Tess Wilkinson said: "The performance was rapturously received by over 500 students in year 11 and year 10. Rumours that next year the staff will be performing a Bollywood version of ‘Les Miserables’ have been strongly denied."