This is an adaptation of a much older play by Gogol, called The Government
Inspector. It's been translated by Charlotte Pyke and updated.
It concerns one Martin Gammon, a useless businessman and nonentity who is
seeking to exploit the situation in an unnamed former Soviet state to sell
houses. However, he is mistaken by a paranoid bureaucracy to be the dreaded UN
Inspector, and a farcial series of events unfolds as the President and his
cohorts seek to hide the corruption, brutality and unfairness of their
regime.
I've previously seen a version of The Government Inspector, and unfortunately
for this production the main problems are the changes that have been made. By
scaling everything up - a small town becomes a country, a Mayor becomes a
President - the original point about the desperation of tiny ambition is lost in
a mixed metaphor of trying to hit too many targets.
The production wants to be a farce. A woman journalist's tongue is cut out
and accidentally given to Martin Gammon, and we are then treated to a series of
Minister's engaging in more and more ludicrous attempts to get it back.
However, it also wants to make some serious political points, as Gammon is
confronted by two women seeking this journalist and desperately telling him that
he is their only hope for justice, before being dragged out of the door by
Security officers, presumably to some dreadful fate.
By aiming to hit both of these styles, the play unfortunately hits neither.
It has several good moments, with the performances of both Michael Sheen as
Martin Gammon and Kenneth Cranham as The President being very enjoyable, but
sadly there are far too many missed opportunities and wasted talent. The whole
show could do with a massive injection of pace and urgency - vital to a farce -
and the huge stage often feels underused.
The UN Inspector at the National Theatre, London.
Director: David Farr
Martin Gammon: Michael Sheen
The President: Kenneth Cranham
