Great show, but where was the audience?
The Government Inspector
By Nikolai Gogol (adapted by Adrian Norman)
New Theatre, Sydney
Fridays and Sundays until August 22
Review by Brendan Doyle
Polish theatre guru Grotowski did his plays with a select group of actors in a hut in the mountains, without an audience. He had decided that his performances didn't need an audience to make them meaningful. I think this is going too far.
When I found myself at the New Theatre with only nine other intrepid theatregoers, I felt sorry for myself. Just around the corner, the Turkish restaurant was full — and looked warm. But when the 14 actors launched, with such gusto, into Gogol's timeless Russian comedy, written 150 years ago, I felt sorry instead for the cast and crew, having to face such an empty auditorium.
Theatre, especially comedy, needs a room full of people to respond to what's happening on stage and create the theatre experience. It's hard to laugh out loud when you hear the echo.
The Government Inspector tells the story of a provincial town at the time of Tsar Nicholas I, where a pretentious, penniless young fop visiting from Moscow is believed to be a bureaucrat sent to spy on the town officials.
This provides the material for what is regarded as the funniest of classic Russian plays. It is also one of the most devastating exposés of the pettiness and hypocrisy of minor officials, who were profiting from the system of favours and exploitation that reigned in tsarist Russia.
Director Adrian Norman, who adapted Gogol's play and, thankfully, shortened it from the original three hours, has gone for a cartoon-style presentation that works well. The costumes, designed by Nicola McIntosh, are delightfully loud and tasteless.
This is an enjoyable production of one of the best loved Russian plays, done with pizzazz by an enthusiastic young team. To add to your enjoyment and hopefully give the production the audience it deserves, New Theatre has graciously offered all Green Left Weekly readers a free double pass to the show. All you have to do is present the coupon below at the box office!