The Government Inspector By Nikolai Gogol

The Government Inspector By Nikolai Gogol : Communicado Theatre Company

Dubious political dealings, a rioting populace, mishandled money, panic - sound familiar?

The Government Inspector is one of the world's most famous plays. Written in 1835 and set in Tsarist Russia, it is a classic satire on human vanity. By turns hilarious and vicious in its exposé of corruption among those in power, this masterpiece seems made for the times we now live in.

The Governor is worried. All night he has dreamt of huge rats trying to devour him. Today, he has heard of a Government Inspector who is arriving imminently in the district. The town officials are called together and told to waste no time in cleaning up their act - shredding incriminating documents, issuing gagging orders, blacking out of the media - they all have to work together, and fast, to cover up the corruption that's been going on for years. Violations include bribes, misdirected contracts, misallocation of public money, fiddled expenses and abuses of office.

This fast-paced, raucously entertaining and critically acclaimed black comedy features an electrifying cast and live, Balkan-fused music including balalaikas and mouth organs.