The Government Inspector

What is “The Government Inspector”?  The programme categorised it as political satire, but it draws on a range of theatrical traditions.  The breathless, exaggerated flirtation of Anna and Maria Wyndham-Pitts, all fluttering eyelashes and heaving bosoms, was straight out of pantomime, as were the disparaging remarks about Long Hanborough and the references to Hobgoblin as the local brew (sadly, not strictly true anymore).  The repeated entrances and forced exits of Mr Robson in The Slaughtered Cow were reminiscent of a classic farce, while the desperate efforts of the townsfolk to impress the supposed titular inspector had overtones of vaudeville.  The play is widely believed to be the inspiration behind the celebrated episode of “Fawlty Towers” in which Bernard Cribbins is mistakenly thought to be reporting on the hotel: you could argue that “Fawlty Towers” isn’t a bad comparison, as “The Government Inspector” similarly boasts a range of larger-than-life but still broadly believable characters caught up in a sequence of events they are unable to control, the whole shot through with humour and universal truth.  There’s also a meta aspect to “The Government Inspector”, with characters occasionally stepping through the fourth wall to comment on the play itself, or encouraging the audience to react to what they’re seeing.

 

The solidly-constructed box set was painted a deep, rich green – a colour which somehow hinted at both the heavy hand of officialdom and the relative opulence of the Mayor’s house.  The wide, shallow stage is challenging to dress, but the walls were decorated with a selection of photographic prints – a fairly new technology in the 1860s – and the set furnished with a collection of period (or faux-period) pieces.  The room at The Slaughtered Cow was simply and effectively differentiated from the main set with a wooden screen and an inn sign, with the lighting design allowing for complementary zonal lighting.  The incidental music was characteristically atmospheric, although it referenced the Ukranian heritage of the original play rather than the Victorian Britain of Philip Goulding’s adaptation.

 

The properties included copious amounts of folding money – the exchange of thick wedges of cash is amongst my enduring images of the evening – and while the tureen and tankard in the inn appeared suspiciously empty, I was particularly pleased to note Mr Robson drawing the cork from an appropriately vintage bottle before liberally dispensing wine, or more probably “wine”, into the glasses of the worthies in the Mayor’s parlour.  In my opinion, details such as these have a disproportionate influence on the visual impact of any production.

 

The costumes certainly had a positive visual impact; the Mayor’s frock coat was exactly right, while his wife and daughter sported a range of hooped dresses appropriate to the era.  John Petty’s outfit of striped trousers, red waistcoat and dark jacket was part civil servant, part illusionist, and thus perfectly complemented his character.  The uniforms of the postmaster and the police officers felt a little lightweight in every sense, but the headmistress’s sober black dress and the matron’s impressive gown both spoke of their status in a stratified society.  The hairdressing included several deliberately eye-catching wigs while the make-up ranged from some rather unconvincing sideburns to more subtle adjustments in lipstick as Anna and Maria intensified their amorous pursuit of Petty.

 

I think the Director and Chairman was ultimately proved right in his belief that “The Government Inspector” would be an excellent choice of production to close the Bartholomew Players’ 50th Anniversary Season, not least because it gave ample opportunity to the group’s members to be part of the celebrations.  The cast of 13, playing 18 roles, was apparently amongst the biggest in the Players’ history.  The programme provided a welcome and fascinating record of the Players’ past productions – a rich selection of modern works interspersed by the occasional classic play, with Alan Ayckbourn the most represented author.  That a village in West Oxfordshire has sustained a drama group of this quality across fifty years should be a source of immense pride for everyone involved with it, and with this presentation they have celebrated this significant anniversary in some style.  Here’s to the next fifty years!

 

© NODA CIO.  All rights reserved.

© NODA CIO. All rights reserved.