002 - Characters of the Play and Directions for Actors

In a small provincial town in Russia, the Governor and his officials are in a state of panic. Word has spread that a Government Inspector is on his way, prompting them to scramble to hide their corruption and incompetence. When a man arrives at the Inn refusing to pay for his meals, they jump to the conclusion that he must be the dreaded Inspector! Enter Khlestakov, a down-on-his-luck clerk from St. Petersburg who has lost all his money gambling. Desperate and confused, he tries to bully the Inns landlord into giving him free meals. But when the Governor confronts him, Khlestakovs penchant for outlandish lies and boasting about his nonexistent connections turns the tables in his favor. This sharp and hilarious satire by Gogol exposes how greed and corruption can turn ordinary people into fools, and fools into even greater fools. While both amusing and insightful, it also serves as a stark reflection on the dynamics of politics in any town, large or small. Note This play includes instances of anti-Semitism. (Summary by Lucy Perry)