ARCHIVES 2000 / L'Inspecteur ( The Inspector )

Inspector or Revizor, in reality a fake inspector, the wily Khlestakov has haunted theatre stages since 1836, when Gogol launched his scathing comedy in Saint Petersburg, that did not amuse a Tzarist Russia. It is a marvellous comedy with a provincial town's notables believing that as Khlestakov is indeed an inspector sent by the central administration, he must be flattered, corrupted, bought off and that they must sell themselves to him ! However, Khlestakov is not the inspector. He is an imposter. Everyone falls for his tricks, becomes ruined and is ridiculed.
Transposed beneath the canvas of a tent, this work alters colours and dimensions. The Footsbarn Travelling Theatre's wandering players, fire their shots at bureaucracy the world over through the international and multicultural, multilingual troupe. This work is a real team effort, each member has their own acting technique, their own mastery of the mask, their own gymnastic style, sense of song and music. Most of all each member enjoys their own turbulent freedom. The Footsbarn has often made evenings magical at Avignon, cleverly reinventing great classics like Shakespeare's or Homer's The Odyssey. Today it is the turn of Gogol's The Inspector and The Travelling Footsbarn Theatre goes the whole clownish hog with this one.