The Government Inspector
The Government Inspector by Nikolai Gogol
Translated by Alistair Beaton
Gogol's landmark nineteenth century satire on corruption and sleaze. A penniless clerk is mistaken for a Government official by a corrupt town council. Starring Toby Jones and Paul Ritter.
CAST:
Khlestakov ..... TOBY JONES
The Mayor ..... PAUL RITTER
Education Director ..... JEREMY SWIFT
Anna ..... FRANCES BARBER
Osip/ Gendarme ..... RUSSELL TOVEY
Marya ..... DAISY HAGGARD
Dobchinsky ..... SEAN FOLEY
Bobchinsky ..... MARK HEAP
Shopkeeper 2 / Postmaster ..... PAUL RIDER
Widow / Magistrate's Wife ..... CAROLINE GUTHRIE
Locksmith's Wife / Khlopov's Wife ..... JANICE ACQUAH
Abdulin / Liuliukov ..... JONATHAN TAFLER
Mishka / Constable / Shopkeeper 1 ..... BENJAMIN ASKEW
Waiter / Doctor (German) / Ratakovsky ..... MATT ADDIS
Superintendent / Shopkeeper 3 / Korobkin ..... STEPHEN HOGAN
Magistrate ..... STEPHEN CRITCHLOW
Health Commissioner ..... MALCOLM TIERNEY
Avdotya / Korobkin's Wife ..... LIZZIE WATTS
Producer - Sally Avens
Gogol's play from 1836 still delights audiences today with its satirical swipes at political self-serving, sleaze and vice. A dazzling blend of preposterous characters and all-too-real situations, Nabokov called The Government Inspector the greatest play in the Russian language.
Drama on 3 The Government Inspector 09-05-10.mp3
(192 kbps) (02:14:29) (184 MB)
Replies
I haven't heard this - Toby Jones is so good. He's seemingly been around for a while and I've seen him but never really noticed him. Then, almost out of nowhere came The Detectorists! One of the most fabulously cast and scripted comedies and he was it's star. An absolute gem of a role in a gem of a sitcom. Then - possibly because that was still in many people's minds because of that, Radio 4 Extra broadcast his portrayal of Oblomov - which I enjoyed. Is he a fan of Russian literature or is it just coincidence?
Without ever having heard, read or seen any version of the The Government Inspector, I've always imagined it to be a bit like Diary Of A Nobody. I guess I'll shortly find out!
Cheers for this Robert!
I feel a lot of chuckles coming up.
Many thanks.
Please do not confuse this excellent production, which follows Gogol's work closely, with the 1949 Danny Kaye farce, The Inspector general, which is "loosely based on" the same work. (Like the Three Stooges are "loosely based on" The Three Musketeers.)
There is also a 2002 production starring Julian Rhind-Tutt and Bill Wallis, if anyone wants it.
Bob
Thanks for sharing.
Thanks!