A Recall of The Government Inspector

Written by:

Aileen Chong, Year 12

Hilarious. Witty. Unpredictable.

These three words are only a few of the many comments BSM’s ‘The Government Inspector’ has received from its exultant audiences. BSM’s adaptation of the Russian comedy, written by Nikolai Gogol in 1836, was nothing short of amazing. The crowd was incessantly captivated by the play, and was able to witness an unusual twist of surrealism that made us all wonder whether we were captured in the mayor’s worst nightmare, or merely part of a delightful dance through the retribution of comical, clueless politicians. After enduring endless rehearsals, memorising countless lines and handling constructive criticism, the entire cast and crew produced the unthinkable: they performed four astounding performances from the 30th January- 1st February ‘14.

The process of piecing the entire production together wasn’t necessarily a walk in the park. “I did some independent research on the play and the different styles I could use to portray my character” says Josh Nowell, a year 13 IB Theatre student who took on the role of Bobchinsky. Like him, the cast and crew had to undertake extensive research and experimentation to make sure that they represented their characters in a way that was at once comedic, realistic and believable. Although original portrayals were kept in mind, the cast was allowed to pepper their roles with a bit of an intimate touch and bring their personalities into into their roles. Allowing for open interpretations and adaptations was perhaps one of the greatest factors that made these characters come to life. Shoko Choga, who played the role of ‘The Government Inspector’ himself, commented on how “I got a chance to play on some of the characteristics I believe I possess.”

One of the most exciting parts of the production was the big reveal of sumptuous, extravagant costumes. Each outfit was put together with fabrics ranging from silks to velvets, and detailed with laces and an assortment of beads, each top hat was especially handcrafted by our very own stage managers. By far, however, the most popular piece of clothing would have to be the petticoats. There was quite a bit of jealousy within the cast and crew directed at the few girls that were fortunate enough to wear them throughout the performances. These petticoats even had ‘men’ of the questioning their own masculinity, as some couldn’t but resist trying them on and flaunting their newfound femininity across the room. Eirik Stroem, who played the role of the local magistrate, and Sabino Padilla, a technical director, may deny ever trying them on, but don’t believe them because we have them proudly galloping with petticoats on video. Many viewers also commended the play on how magnificent the coiffure and makeup of the actors was. Hour upon hour was spent perfecting the distinctive looks of each individual character. Some actors admitted that the amount of white powder caked on their faces was quite uncomfortable; nonetheless, they were more than happy to wear it for the sake of giving the audience an authentic feel of the setting.

‘The Government Inspector’ wasn’t just all work no play; in fact, every rehearsal had an element of fun. Hours of dedication put into running lines and strutting around the stage often made performers hungry and rather cannibalistic (though not in the kind of savage way). “Zenon wouldn’t share his food, so a couple of us had to bring justice to this crime by using very technical wrestling moves to teach him a lesson,” explains Nowell. There was also one moment when Osama, a stage manager, started showing off his dance moves before a performance, where he was joined, soon enough, by the company backstage, some of whom where not even aware of what was happening! Fun and games aside, what this does show is how united the team was in its efforts; everyone was willing to participate in the dancing spectacle, even if some weren’t usually comfortable dancing for others. “I was surprised to make so many friends along the way,” says Riana Lago, a year 9 student who played a shopkeeper. Finally, how could anyone forget the riotous incident when Mishka, played by Ayesha Baloch in year 11, broke the broom in half, and sent real cabbages rolling in every direction across the stage. It was a sidesplitting moment for all.

Unfortunately, all good things come to an end. It isn’t easy to say goodbye to something that has been a part of your daily routine for months and months on end. The year 13 student
s found it particularly hard to grasp that it was all over, with ‘The Government Inspector’ marking their last theatre production, that is, for the meantime at least. It is for certain that the memories made from the experiences gathered in the making of this play will forever be embedded in their hearts. Of course, the entire production couldn’t have been possible without the collaboration of the cast and crew, the help of the BSM staff, loving parents and Mr. Mann for his unconditional support in the drama department. However, the individual who solely came up with the rather daunting idea to attempt a rendering of the classic Russian play, and who of course mastered the art of directing her version of the performance, was Ms. Jane Fisher. We’d like to give our most sincere thanks to Ms Fisher for sharing with us her unwavering dedication and unquestionable talent. It is saddening to all that the production had to come to a close, but be that as it may, there is always next years’ production to look forward to.

Written by:

Aileen Chong, Year 12

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