The Government Inspector

Here, three archetypes inevitably take over. First, the ghosts of that historic premiere from nearly two centuries ago. Second, echoes of Vsevolod Meyerhold's brilliant 1926 production at GOSTIM. And third — reflections of St. Petersburg itself: not just Gogol's Petersburg, but the city as we see it today, with all its grandeur and its sarcastic, sneering grimaces. The birth of the absurd out of the spirit of everyday life — that's the trap waiting for all those who have convinced themselves that vice and impunity can rule the world. In that sense, Gogol's genius comedy can be seen as a truly "state" play.