Photo by Nicole Modeen Photography

THE REVIEW

• This review was originally written by Lawrance Bernabo for the Duluth News Tribune on Friday, May 10
• Photo by Nicole Modeen Photography

The Duluth Playhouse is putting on The Government Inspector. It is a farce.

A Russian farce.

About politicians.

(No, not that one.)

This version of The Government Inspector has been adapted by Jeffrey Hatcher, who strips Nikolai Gogol’s script down to the skeleton and rebuilds it with jokes guaranteed to hit an American audience’s funny bone.

He also makes ample use of black-out asides (think Groucho Marx riffing on Strange Interlude in Animal Crackers).

Set in 1836 in a small, desolate village somewhere in the middle of Tsarist Russia, this farce hinges on corrupt bureaucrats worried about a government inspector from St. Petersburg who “may show up at any moment, in any disguise.”

Of course, they all figure out it must be the visitor just come to town, Ivan Alexandreyevich Hlestakov (Jonathan Manchester).

Of course, they are all wrong and wackiness ensues.

COME SEE THE SHOW BEFORE IT’S DONE!

• Where: The NorShor Theatre
• When: May 16, 17, 18 & 19
  • May 16 is also an ASL-Interpreted performance
• Showtimes: Thursday-Saturday @ 7:30pm // Sunday @ 2pm
• Tickets:
  • Standard: $35-$45
  • Student Rush: $25 (at the door the night of a show only with presentation of valid student ID for ages 25 and under)
• Purchase: 218.733.7555 // www.norshortheatre.com