Acting Students Tackle Russian Satire with Upcoming Stage Adaptation of ‘The Government Inspector’
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A group of talented acting students from Toronto Film School will attempt to “shed light on the things we prefer to keep in the dark” when their adaptation of The Government Inspector takes to the stage at the Papermill Theatre this month.
Adapted and directed by Andy Massingham, the 75-minute play was originally written back in 1836 by Russian novelist and playwright Nicolai Gogol as a merciless lampooning of the corrupt officials of the Russian state.
“Satire takes no prisoners. It takes the world we know, with its heaves and pulsations of joy, sorrow, pain and delight, shuffles the deck and deals us a new hand…” said Massingham.
“When I first saw The Government Inspector decades ago, I was keenly aware that the audience was laughing at what was between the lines rather than the jokes. I was hooked/ It is too often regarded as a political satire. More accurately, it is Gogol’s indictment of humankind’s frail grasp on reality on every level.”
“Sounds like a tragedy? Yes. A very funny one,” he added, heaping praise on the “extraordinary collection of artists” who make up the ensemble starring in his adaptation of the play.
The Government Inspector, which is stage managed by Lean Jafari, will take to the stage at the Papermill Theatre for a three-performance run on Dec. 20, 22 and 23 as follows:
- Wednesday, Dec. 20 at 9 p.m.
- Friday, Dec. 22 at 7 p.m.
- Saturday, Dec. 23 at 3 p.m.
The Papermill Theatre is located at Todmorden Mills, 67 Pottery Rd. Tickets are free and available at the door.
The Creative Team Behind The Government Inspector:
Andy Massingham – Director
Lean Jafari – Stage Manager
Rolly Barry as the Mayor
Kamar (KJ) Edwards as the Jailer
Felix Houle as Cliche
Keya Josiane Mukembe Tambwe as Luka
Ember Janz as Osip
Ethan Jack Turner as Clyde
Karen Khouri as Anna
Andy Kohut as Dob
Kai Matveyev as Dr. Nosh
Victor Nicholls as Klestakov
Paola Ortuno as Bob
Ann-Sophie Poulin as the Judge
Justin Romeo as Turbo
Amanda Thamage as Marya
Yuxiao Wan as Mishka
Akeisha Williams as Poppinoff
Matthew Wozniak Cardoso as Gregor
Selina Yukselir as Octavia
Oliver Young as Ivana
