Review: THE GOVERNMENT INSPECTOR, Marylebone Theatre

Nikolai Gogol's comedy of errors satire The Government Inspector first premiered in 1836, causing quite a stir for calling out the greed and corruption of the Russian government. Considered one of the greatest Russian comedies, it's easy to understand then why Peter Myles would want to bring its still relevant story to the Marylebone Theatre two centuries later. Unfortunately, the biting commentary hidden beneath the silliness gets lost in translation in this chaotic and frenetic production in spite of the talent onstage.

Taking the action from Russia to England, a local council led by the corrupt Governer Swashprattle is anticipating the arrival of a government inspector. Little do they know the man they believe to be the high ranking inspector is really a low ranking conman swindling everyone. As each council member bribes and cheats their way into the "inspector's" good books, hijinks ensue that harken to a "funnier" version of An Inspector Calls.

Satire may be born from humour, but its real purpose is for the creator to criticise a group of people. This seems to have been forgotten in Myles' adapted script as this new version of Gogol's classic feels more focused on cramming in as many laughs as possible. With his direction making the show run at a hundred miles per hour, there's no time to process the chaos ensuing onstage, with dialogue often easy to miss (besides some f-bombs and groan-inducing word play with balls and the c-word for cheap laughs) and never giving the audience a moment to breathe.

The iconic moment when Governor Swashpuddle breaks the fourth wall loses impact. Not just because there's not much for the audience to laugh at beforehand. It's also because he and the rest of his sycophantic council are never allowed to pause and reflect on their behaviour, instead moving onto the next comedic setpiece.

The issues with this production go beyond the script. Kate Tydman and John Sandeman's combined movement and fighting direction are impressive, but so much is happening you can't appreciate it. Melanie Jane Brookes' set and costumes lack character and waste ample opportunity to go broader, and there were several issues with lighting cues at this press performance.

The 12-piece cast do their best and bring the laughs the production desperately craves in spite of being directed to deliver their lines with the same shouty enunciation and caricatured accents. Reuniting Ghosts alum Kiell Smith-Bynoe and Martha Howe-Douglas, they both are highlights as Smith-Bynoe's Percy Fopsdoodle commands the stage with such gradiosity and arrogance while Howe-Douglas fits like a glove as a social climbing governer's wife. Dan Skinner's Governer Swashpuddle on the other hand resorts to cacophony until his face turns red to elicit laughs.

Among the motley crew of counsellors include Peter Clements and Dan Starkey as duo Ivan Brabble and Ivan Grubble, Nigel Hastings as not a spy Dr. Mumpsimus and David Hartley as Reverend Jargogle. One I must highlight though is Chaya Gupta as the Swashpuddle's repressed daughter Connie being flung and dragged across the stage before falling for Percy in spite of the obvious lies coming out of his mouth.

There's plenty of promise in bringing The Government Inspector to the stage today, but this production is not it. While there's much to appreciate from the cast who are valiant in playing a group of cartoonishly loathsome oafs, they can't save the inherent issues found in its unfunny script that lacks the panache of Gogol's original or the lackluster visuals that waste the opportunity to add to the commentary of corrupt British society and politics.

The Government Inspector runs at the Marylebone Theatre until June 15.

Photo Credits: Oliver King