While the extravagant and exaggerated genre of farce may seem slightly out of place in this new age of short attention spans and quick information, the themes in Nikolai Gogol’s The Government Inspector are still very relevant.
Government corruption, bribery, expense fiddling, spying and lying are all there in abundance in Adrian Mitchell’s 1985 adaptation of the work penned over 150 years ago by Ukrainian-born playwright Gogol.
Presented by Scottish theatre company Communicado in association with Perth Theatre, the production is a revival of a 2010 touring show which picked up a CATS award for the best use of music and sound.
Set in its original 19th Century Russia, the play opens with a noisy fusion of Balkan-inspired peasant music as the cast weave on to the stage and pause in a dramatically-lit tableau resembling a Theodore Gericault painting.
These photographic pauses occur at various interludes throughout the production, as does the intoxicating music, which is performed by cast members playing instruments from cello to saxophone and accordion to tuba. Meanwhile, in the second half, the all-singing and dancing merchants supply an excellent comic touch.
Communicado founder member and artistic director Gerry Mulgrew stars as the corrupt Governor, who gets wind a Government inspector is in town incognito, of course. The town’s worthies including the judge, health commissioner and postmaster – all mistake penniless nobody Ivan Khlestakov for the inspector, and so the farce unfolds.
Mulgrew is entertaining but also surprisingly endearing as the crooked bureaucrat whose paranoia becomes all too prevalent as he pleads poverty and honesty, yet slips rouble notes as if they were in unlimited supply.
Musical director Alasdair Macrae has a storming evening, not only playing a series of instruments, but also giving excellent renditions of Khlestakov’s lowly companion Osip, as well as the corrupt postmaster, who enjoys reading private letters and even keeping the odd few.
But it is Mark Prendergast’s portrayal of the quick-witted compulsive liar Khlestakov that really carries the play forward with his comedic timing and sheer exuberance. As he quickly shakes of any suspicions he may be off to jail and enjoys the short-lived belief that the people of the town are merely being nice to him because he’s such a great person, Khlestakov becomes wise to the situation and proceeds to take advantage of each and every one of his gullible new acquaintances.
When he finally exits in act two, he leaves a great gap as the rest of the town scrambles around in his aftermath. The performance feels this, too, and some momentum is lost.
The second act is a little overlong, with the story being drawn out to its inevitable conclusion, during which fools are made of the duped remaining characters. Yet, there is much energy invested in the performance, and the immense effort of the 10 cast members to deliver the production which requires a maximum of 19 players is to be greatly admired.
The addition of some Scots adds a pleasant touch. When Khlestakov claims he is friends with Alexander Pushkin back in St Petersburg, he refers to him as ‘Sandy’. The use of lighting and props is also to be commended especially the ‘troika’ that eventually carries the fake Government Inspector out of town.
Gerda Stevenson and Kirstin McLean provide excellent support as Anna and Marya the Governor’s wife and daughter who are continually bickering and attempting to outplay one another in order to grab the eye of Khlestakov.
Although a slightly long evening, one cannot help but be buoyed by the dedication of the Communicado cast, who give it their all.The Government Inspector runs at Perth Theatre until April 2.