Trying to direct shakespeare to fall in line with modern day realism's expectations can be a challenge for the best directors. Imagining the well known characters speaking in a naturalistic sense can be difficult for even experienced audience members. And the idea of what the characters of a tragedy might do after such a traumatic and life-changing event can actually be more depressing than the deaths themselves
Scene 1
The hanging of the apothecary, the gibbet not seen onstage. Enter the NURSE, FRIAR LAWRENCE and PETER, facing the audience, as if the gallows were there.
Nurse:
Is it fair?
Lawrence:
It isn't fair.
Nurse:
He had no choice.
Lawrence:
No other options.
Nurse:
Dead for forty ducats.
Lawrence:
He knew the law.
Nurse:
The law on selling poison.
Lawrence:
To any man in Mantua
Nurse:
Death. By hanging.
Lawrence:
We weren't to know.
Nurse:
I didn't know.
Lawrence:
You weren't told.
Nurse:
I loved the girl.
Lawrence:
We all did.
Nurse:
And now...and now...
Lawrence:
You have to leave.
Nurse:
I have to leave.
Lawrence:
It's what the Prince has said.
Nurse:
The sentence is passed.
Lawrence:
He thinks you helped the girl.
Nurse:
I didn't know...
Lawrence:
You never would have.
Nurse:
But you did.
Lawrence:
I married them.
Nurse:
You married them.
Lawrence:
I know.
Nurse:
Then why must I leave but not you?
Lawrence:
Isn't it obvious?
Nurse:
No. Not to me. But I suppose to you.
Lawrence:
Where will you go? Mantua?
Nurse:
It's haunted for me there.
Lawrence:
Then Milan.
Nurse:
Further.
Lawrence:
Rome? Naples?
Nurse:
Perhaps.
Lawrence:
Before the end of the day
Nurse:
Don't remind me.
Lawrence:
Fine.
The trap is heard to fall through. The crack of the Apothecary's neck.
Peter:
Come on.
Exit.
Scene 2
The funeral of Juliet, Lady Montague, Mercutio, Paris, Romeo and Tybalt. Enter PRINCE ESCALUS and LORD MONTAGUE. Then enter LORD CAPULET and PETRUCHIO. All are visibly upset, save the Prince.
Prince:
Lord Capulet.
Capulet:
My Prince Escalus.
Montague:
Boy.
Petruchio:
Yes, my lord.
Montague:
You were a friend of Tybalt.
Petruchio:
I was, my lord.
Prince:
No more of that, Montague.
Montague:
No, no, I wasn't...that...I wasn't.
Prince:
I'm glad. Who's conducting the service?
Capulet:
Friar John.
Prince:
Ah.
Capulet:
He's not the best, but-
Prince:
Yes I know.
Montague:
I wonder.
Prince:
You wonder what?
Montague:
Why Lawrence chose to leave.
Capulet:
He didn't say. He didn't really have to.
Montague:
He went into the hills.
Prince:
Hermitage?
Capulet:
It's not uncommon.
Montague:
In the friary. Quite a popular change to one's lifestyle.
Capulet:
She's gone too.
Prince:
Good. Where to? Padua? Florence?
Montague:
Athens.
Prince:
Athens? Why in the name of God?
Capulet:
Wanted to get away. Far away.
Montague:
As if she had a choice.
Prince:
Look, would you not? You were no saints in these wars, and are not free from my judgement.
Petruchio:
My masters, if I may be so bold as to speak against you, I've come to mourn my friend, Tybalt, you your children. We should be respectful.
Montague:
That we should.
Capulet:
Ah, I must go. My eulogy.
Prince:
Lord Capulet. Remember this.
Exit CAPULET. PETRUCHIO begins to cry.
End of scene.
Scene 3
Enter BENVOLIO.
Welcome to Verona. Verona in 1562. 1595. Umm...oh never mind, it shouldn't matter either way. The city upholds a solemn vigil. Tybalt, Mercutio, and Paris, are murdered. Romeo Montague and Juliet Capulet are dead. Suicide. Lady Montague is also dead. Juliet's Nurse is exiled and Friar Lawrence has retired to a cave, two miles outside the town. Old Capulet, Lord Capulet's cousin, has died at the funeral of the aforementioned dead. I, a friend of the aforementioned Romeo, and the aforementioned Mercutio, am attending the second funeral in four days. But death has yet to leave Verona.
Enter ESCALUS.
Prince:
Who's there?
Benvolio:
Nay, answer me. Stand, and unfold yourself.
Prince:
Prince Escalus, of Verona.
Benvolio:
Apologies, my lord.
Prince:
No need, no need, I see now you are Benvolio, the last son of the house of Montague.
Benvolio:
Need I reminding?
Prince:
Of course not, I'm sorry.
Benvolio:
Aye.
Prince:
Did you know Old Capulet.
Benvolio:
No.
Prince:
But you have to be here.
Benvolio:
Show my face.
Prince:
It's the proper thing.
Benvolio:
A reconciliation isn't easy. It takes time.
Prince:
What's keeping you awake.
Benvolio:
Romeo.
Prince:
Of course.
Benvolio:
I just want to remember him as he was. But...to think that they lay him in the cold ground...
Prince:
All things must die, Benvolio.
Benvolio:
Not so young, surely.
Prince:
No, of course not-
Benvolio:
At fifteen.
Prince:
Look, all I meant was-
Benvolio:
Cut it! (Pause) I'm sorry, that wasn't intented.
Prince:
Don't mention it.
Benvolio:
So why are you awake?
Prince:
I am a prince. Sleep favours the poor.
Benvolio:
Yes, that it does. My lord?
Prince:
Yes?
Benvolio:
Do you think that...Romeo...thinks about us. In heaven.
Prince:
Heaven? Romeo is a murderer of two, and himself!
Benvolio:
He died in a friary, he would have repented.
Prince:
No amount of repentance could save a murderer.
Benvolio:
Foul? He was a good man, he only killed for love.
Prince:
Affectation.
Benvolio:
Affect- who are you? Have you no heart? Finds charity in you no sharper spur?
Prince:
I hope you will not reject the good book for affection and...mere sentiment.
Benvolio:
Goodnight, Escalus.
Prince:
You will-
Benvolio:
Goodnight.
Exit BENVOLIO.
Prince:
Quietude. The city feels empty. No tumult, no strife, no factious warring. I should be happy. But it's just...purposeless. This life, is purposeless. And I can't settle, dispel my anger. Everyone else has moved on with their lives, why can't I? Maybe I should leave, get away for a while. But who would rule the city? Capulet I suppose, but I don't trust him yet. No, I'll stay. I'll wait it out. (Pause) For now.
End of scene
Scene 4
Enter PETRUCHIO and MONTAGUE.
Petruchio:
My lord. (Goes to exit)
Montague:
Yes,- ah, boy! Boy!
Petruchio:
(Stops) Yes, my lord?
Montague:
I, uh...I'm sorry about the other day, at...you see everything was so fresh-
Petruchio:
My lord, I really wouldn't worry about it.
Montague:
Ah, yes, well...thank you. (Pause) Where are you going?
Petruchio:
Umm...to see Lord Capulet. I received word that I'm needed urgently.
Montague:
Ah. Then I won't keep you.
Exit PETRUCHIO
Oh, my, oh, my...they won't find out, they won't, I...I don't even want to remember. I won't...i can't...shouldn't.
Montague collapses. Flashback. Enter LADY CAPULET, putting make-up on in front of a mirror. Montague's speech is a prerecorded projection. Lady Capulet acts as if he is present.
Montague:
My lady.
Lady:
Oh, my- Montague?
Montague:
None but he.
Lady:
What- how did you gain admittance to my bed-chamber?
Montague:
You are a very beautiful woman, do you know that?
Lady:
My lord!
Montague:
You've failed to answer my question.
Lady:
What?
Montague:
Do you know that you are a very beautiful woman?
Lady:
I must insist that you leave at once, my lord.
Montague:
Sweet lady, I must confess, ever since the death of my dear wife I have felt so alone in this terrible world, this awful world of harsh inconsequence!
Lady:
Ever since? That was three weeks ago!
Montague:
Three weeks are for me a lifetime without my dear wife, I need the soft touch of a woman, so dearly-
Lady:
Do not touch me! leave go of me!
Montague:
No, if the gentle spirit of moving words can no way change you to a milder form, I'll woo you like a solider, at arms' end, and love you against the nature of love - force you.
Lady:
I will not have it, I- Help! What ho, help!
LADY CAPULET throws herself around the room as if she were being thrown. She turns away from the audience, and is stabbed, a knife in her chest when she turns again. She falls to the ground, twitching, not yet dead.
Montague:
I'll force you to yield to my desire!
Her dress is pulled slightly up. End of scene.
Scene 5
MONTAGUE and CAPULET, sitting. PETRUCHIO and PETER, with heads in hands.
Petruchio:
What have you done?
Montague:
I didn't mean it.
Capulet:
She was so beautiful.
Petruchio:
We have to do something. Call the prince.
Montague:
What's the point?
Capulet:
What's the use?
Montague:
What's done is done.
Capulet:
Can't change the past.
Petruchio:
I don't understand why you're just...sitting there! Isn't one of you remotely angry at, or afraid of, the other?
Capulet:
Call the prince then.
Montague:
There's nothing he can do.
Capulet:
Not anymore.
Montague:
Not now.
PETRUCHIO gestures to PETER, who exits.
Petruchio:
I didn't know it would come to this. Is this what happens when you're on your own? You just sit back and let every good thing in your life leave you?
Montague:
Tell me, boy.
Capulet:
Have you seen death?
Montague:
Have you watched someone.
Capulet:
As they die.
Petruchio:
Have I- what? What does it matter?
Montague:
It matters because you'd realise.
Capulet:
That there's no point. To anything.
Montague:
All the fighting.
Capulet:
Everything you've ever worked for doesn't matter.
Petruchio:
You're wrong. I know you're wrong, you're just...sad, still. You'll see.
Enter ESCALUS, followed by PETER close behind.
Escalus:
Good afternoon, gentlemen. (No response). Gentlemen? (Still no response). I shall be listened to! (All jump. The two lords stand.) I have been informed, as to an incident. Whilst I won't go as far as to expound upon the details, since that everyone present is already completely aware of both the circumstances and the implications of the event, I shall let it be known, how sad this event makes me. (ESCALUS looks, however, completely unfazed). If anyone would like to say anything, I would advise them to do so now. (A pause. PETRUCHIO goes to speak, PETER grabs his arm to silence him). Normally, a matter of such severity would be taken to the courts, and you, my lord Montague, would be found, inevitably, guilty. I have, however, made something of an exception, given that you are a gentleman of such standing, and I have reached a judgement. Since I fear the damage potentially to be done if I deliver a harsh verdict may outweigh the consequences of a slight...neglecting of the law, I have decided, just this once, to allow for Montague to remain free, with a warning. After all, Capulet seems quite content to be in the same room as the offender, and as she was his wife...I feel there is no more to be said.
Petruchio:
No more to be said?
Peter:
Petruchio, don't-
Petruchio
What on earth do you mean, no more to be said?
Escalus:
As is typical with most people when they speak, I meant exactly what I said.
Petruchio:
This is an insult. This is an abandonment of justice, of order.
Escalus:
As a mere servant, it may be hard for you to understand, but this is the only decision that can be made, however difficult it may seem.
Petruchio:
Difficult? It's completely immoral. And you two, how can you just sit there, that was your wife! Is no punishment in order for this...this rapist?
Montague:
Nothing to be done.
Capulet:
Nothing to be said.
Escalus:
They aren't wrong, my boy.
Petruchio:
I don't understand, I- I can't...
Montague:
Can't change the past.
Capulet:
Have to move on.
Escalus:
Best course of action.
Petruchio:
Doesn't make sense, doesn't make-
As the quartet are caught in these loops, all to the same effect, PETER eyes the group with frantic concern, but is unable to bring himself to say anything which might bring the others out of their trances.
Blackout
Sunday 27 April 2014
Tuesday 22 April 2014
The Government Inspector
As somebody hoping to go into the theatre, I have been lately thinking about the challenges and opportunities of staging a play: namely Nikolai Gogol's 'Government Inspector'. I decided to write a rationale, describing my choices in staging and design in this masterpiece of Russian dramaturgy:
The Government Inspector - design concept
In my production of The Government Inspector by Nikolai Gogol, I would set the play in modern day Russia, in an attempt to demonstrate that despite the overthrowing of the Russian empire and then the Soviet Union, corruption is still the largest issue facing the Russian Federation, the largest nation in the world. Originally staged in the Alexandrinsky theatre in St Petersburg on a proscenium arch stage, I would remain with this stage type, for the reasons that the play was probably written for this type of stage and is therefore better suited to it, and that it would better befit my style of performance, which would be naturalistic.
The set for the room in the mayor's house takes inspiration from the skyscrapers of Moscow, with all three walls being opaque glass, each side having a narrow wall of oak set in the centre, those walls stage left and right having large doors in them, the wall upstage having a large elevator. The frequent ping of the elevator as each new character arrives will remind the audience of the scenes' chaos. Above the elevator upstage is positioned a large portrait of the mayor, who is made up to look much like Vladimir Putin, to further the image of corruption in small towns being a microcosm of the whole state of Russia. The floors are of opaque glass, and centre stage is a large round oak table, around which chairs are placed in a semi-circle upstage, meaning no individual's seat is obscured by a chair downstage. The oak displays the disproportionate wealth of the mayoral office, which will be contrasted in the set for the the inn. For this set, old, stained red wallpaper will be rolled down over the walls, a tattered brown carpet across the floor, the elevator doors will be covered, and a low energy lightbulb will be lowered to seven feet above the bed, to create the illusion of the room being small. The glass table and chairs are removed and replaced with a large double bed, which is lower down on the left side as it is broken, with a plywood side table with peeling white paint. A mirror is positioned above the bed, but at a cheated, downward angle. This way, Osip can perform his opening soliloquy lying back on the bed, introspectively, but the audience can see him via the mirror above. Characters in this scene will enter up stairs from the door stage left.
The play would open in the morning, before dawn, displayed by a dim light to emulate dusk, and all the characters would appear visibly tired, some still putting on suit jackets and ties. This is because the mayor has called an emergency meeting, the night time setting adding to the idea of the government of the town being underhand, dealing with things they do not want the public to be aware of. Twilight will start to dawn as the officials begin to move on their way, culminating in the beginning of dawn as Anna shouts out of the window, displayed by a warm orange light appearing stage left, which continues directly into the next scene, with the sun rising during Osip's soliloquy, meaning that by Khlestakov's entrance, the sun has risen. This will be marked by an intensification of the light, and the orange glow changing to yellow, then to white. As Khlestakov makes his departure in the final act, and the loose ends are being tied up, the sun will start to set, marking the beginning of the evening twilight. This will be achieved via a reversal of the technique used to portray sunrise, except the light will be stage right instead. Dusk falls as the characters learn Khlestakov's true identity and that the real inspector is present, and light returns to the exact level as at the beginning as the final tableau is formed. This darkening is, again, merely a reversal of the dawn lighting sequence.
The tone of my production would be quite dark, in order to make the play didactic in nature. This would not be portrayed through sound, of which there is little, save the ping of the elevator, and a loud, deep, thumping sound as the characters arrange themselves into the final tableau, but through the depiction of all of the characters as fickle. The only departure from a naturalistic style would be the wearing of comedia dell'arte masks when a character is putting on a front, such as when Khlestakov pretends to be the inspector, when the mayor pretends not to know the the thinks Khlestakov is the inspector, or even just when one character lies to another, such as when the individual town officials beseech Khlestakov in act IV. I would change the plot in only one respect: the postmaster being a police spy. This would be made evident through his wearing of a mask throughout the play, and also an inserted dialogue between the officials leaving the mayor's room in act I and Anna and Marya entering, in which he makes a phone call, confirming that the mayor is falsely convinced that the inspector is staying at the inn.
As for costume, the dress would be modern suits for the part of the officials. The mayor would be cast, made up and dressed to look like Vladimir Putin. Aside from the obvious connotation of corruption, this would add to the image of the mayor of being sly and arrogant. This concept would involve a black suit, white shirt and red tie. The superintendent of schools would be dressed in the same suit and die, but with a striped shirt, mainly to differentiate whilst portraying them as similar. This sycophant is positioned always on the right hand side of the mayor and is the obvious successor, adding to the idea that nothing will ever change as the implicit line of succession is made up of the same corrupt officials. The judge wears the same suit, the same shirt as the mayor, and a silver tie. He wears them in an untidy manner, however, shirt untucked, collar up, lapels turned over, tie loose, a button on the shirt undone, and his hair ruffled. He is therefore presented as someone disorganised and, therefore, seemingly incapable of making decisions in court, and explaining his odd, haphazard dealings in bribery and geese keeping. The charities warden would be a woman, which would make her harsh stance on the welfare of patience even more shocking, and she would have blonde, shoulder-length hair, a pure blue coat and dress and a fashionable flowery scarf. The postmaster would wear a white shirt, but a dark blue suit, to ever so slightly differentiate him from the others, and a lilac tie to give him a deceptive friendliness. His hair would be close cropped, making him harder to read as an individual. Bobchinsky and Dobchinsky would be dressed in the same suit, except Bobchinsky's would be jet black, and Dobchinsky's would be bright white, both with their hair slicked back, dark. This would act as a method of parallel characterisation. Anna would wear a very pale pink jacket, have heavy glasses attached round her neck by a cord, and be slightly overweight, her hair dark, shoulder-length and unkempt. She appears as a woman past her prime, attempting to look proper but always seeking to be the most respected figure by all. Marya is a beautiful, tall, blonde young woman, who wears a revealing black dress, and a leopard print coat over the top, and tall black boots. She is quite obviously prettier than her mother, meaning their competing over attractiveness is not really a competition, but Anna deluding herself. Osip is dressed like a butler, with a starched shirt and a stiff detachable collar, with tie, waistcoat and tails. He is, however, in his seventies, and is most of the tasks given to him by Khlestakov are far too strenuous for a man of his age. This shows Khlestakov up as ungentlemanly, allowing such an old man to do work which would be easy for a twenty-three year old such as himself. Gibner the physician would wear, again, a black suit, a white shirt, and a red and blue striped tie, differentiating him slightly from the others, as a German. Despite his position as a doctor, his wearing a suit proves him to be more of a pen pusher, like the rest of the officials. None of them do any actual hands-on work in their sectors, showing them up as bureaucratic, making their corruption all the more distasteful. Svistunov an Dherzimorda the constables would wear standard Russian police dress, thick black coats and ushankas with police badges on the front. Svistunov would carry a whistle round his neck, which he would blow frequently whenever he is ordered to do something. He is of an average size, whereas Dherzimorda is a much larger, more intimidating character, to characterise the police force as brawny. Khlestakov, cast as a twenty-three year old, with long, dark hair and a beard, starts the play wearing a grey striped suit, which, whilst respectable, is clearly a little old. However, upon his reemergence in act three he wears a long, red and blue dressing gown, his hair newly washed, depicting him as a quasi-Jesus figure. This mocks the way in which the officials spend the last two acts seeking redemption, whilst in fact he is only a conman.
The Government Inspector - design concept
In my production of The Government Inspector by Nikolai Gogol, I would set the play in modern day Russia, in an attempt to demonstrate that despite the overthrowing of the Russian empire and then the Soviet Union, corruption is still the largest issue facing the Russian Federation, the largest nation in the world. Originally staged in the Alexandrinsky theatre in St Petersburg on a proscenium arch stage, I would remain with this stage type, for the reasons that the play was probably written for this type of stage and is therefore better suited to it, and that it would better befit my style of performance, which would be naturalistic.
The set for the room in the mayor's house takes inspiration from the skyscrapers of Moscow, with all three walls being opaque glass, each side having a narrow wall of oak set in the centre, those walls stage left and right having large doors in them, the wall upstage having a large elevator. The frequent ping of the elevator as each new character arrives will remind the audience of the scenes' chaos. Above the elevator upstage is positioned a large portrait of the mayor, who is made up to look much like Vladimir Putin, to further the image of corruption in small towns being a microcosm of the whole state of Russia. The floors are of opaque glass, and centre stage is a large round oak table, around which chairs are placed in a semi-circle upstage, meaning no individual's seat is obscured by a chair downstage. The oak displays the disproportionate wealth of the mayoral office, which will be contrasted in the set for the the inn. For this set, old, stained red wallpaper will be rolled down over the walls, a tattered brown carpet across the floor, the elevator doors will be covered, and a low energy lightbulb will be lowered to seven feet above the bed, to create the illusion of the room being small. The glass table and chairs are removed and replaced with a large double bed, which is lower down on the left side as it is broken, with a plywood side table with peeling white paint. A mirror is positioned above the bed, but at a cheated, downward angle. This way, Osip can perform his opening soliloquy lying back on the bed, introspectively, but the audience can see him via the mirror above. Characters in this scene will enter up stairs from the door stage left.
The play would open in the morning, before dawn, displayed by a dim light to emulate dusk, and all the characters would appear visibly tired, some still putting on suit jackets and ties. This is because the mayor has called an emergency meeting, the night time setting adding to the idea of the government of the town being underhand, dealing with things they do not want the public to be aware of. Twilight will start to dawn as the officials begin to move on their way, culminating in the beginning of dawn as Anna shouts out of the window, displayed by a warm orange light appearing stage left, which continues directly into the next scene, with the sun rising during Osip's soliloquy, meaning that by Khlestakov's entrance, the sun has risen. This will be marked by an intensification of the light, and the orange glow changing to yellow, then to white. As Khlestakov makes his departure in the final act, and the loose ends are being tied up, the sun will start to set, marking the beginning of the evening twilight. This will be achieved via a reversal of the technique used to portray sunrise, except the light will be stage right instead. Dusk falls as the characters learn Khlestakov's true identity and that the real inspector is present, and light returns to the exact level as at the beginning as the final tableau is formed. This darkening is, again, merely a reversal of the dawn lighting sequence.
The tone of my production would be quite dark, in order to make the play didactic in nature. This would not be portrayed through sound, of which there is little, save the ping of the elevator, and a loud, deep, thumping sound as the characters arrange themselves into the final tableau, but through the depiction of all of the characters as fickle. The only departure from a naturalistic style would be the wearing of comedia dell'arte masks when a character is putting on a front, such as when Khlestakov pretends to be the inspector, when the mayor pretends not to know the the thinks Khlestakov is the inspector, or even just when one character lies to another, such as when the individual town officials beseech Khlestakov in act IV. I would change the plot in only one respect: the postmaster being a police spy. This would be made evident through his wearing of a mask throughout the play, and also an inserted dialogue between the officials leaving the mayor's room in act I and Anna and Marya entering, in which he makes a phone call, confirming that the mayor is falsely convinced that the inspector is staying at the inn.
As for costume, the dress would be modern suits for the part of the officials. The mayor would be cast, made up and dressed to look like Vladimir Putin. Aside from the obvious connotation of corruption, this would add to the image of the mayor of being sly and arrogant. This concept would involve a black suit, white shirt and red tie. The superintendent of schools would be dressed in the same suit and die, but with a striped shirt, mainly to differentiate whilst portraying them as similar. This sycophant is positioned always on the right hand side of the mayor and is the obvious successor, adding to the idea that nothing will ever change as the implicit line of succession is made up of the same corrupt officials. The judge wears the same suit, the same shirt as the mayor, and a silver tie. He wears them in an untidy manner, however, shirt untucked, collar up, lapels turned over, tie loose, a button on the shirt undone, and his hair ruffled. He is therefore presented as someone disorganised and, therefore, seemingly incapable of making decisions in court, and explaining his odd, haphazard dealings in bribery and geese keeping. The charities warden would be a woman, which would make her harsh stance on the welfare of patience even more shocking, and she would have blonde, shoulder-length hair, a pure blue coat and dress and a fashionable flowery scarf. The postmaster would wear a white shirt, but a dark blue suit, to ever so slightly differentiate him from the others, and a lilac tie to give him a deceptive friendliness. His hair would be close cropped, making him harder to read as an individual. Bobchinsky and Dobchinsky would be dressed in the same suit, except Bobchinsky's would be jet black, and Dobchinsky's would be bright white, both with their hair slicked back, dark. This would act as a method of parallel characterisation. Anna would wear a very pale pink jacket, have heavy glasses attached round her neck by a cord, and be slightly overweight, her hair dark, shoulder-length and unkempt. She appears as a woman past her prime, attempting to look proper but always seeking to be the most respected figure by all. Marya is a beautiful, tall, blonde young woman, who wears a revealing black dress, and a leopard print coat over the top, and tall black boots. She is quite obviously prettier than her mother, meaning their competing over attractiveness is not really a competition, but Anna deluding herself. Osip is dressed like a butler, with a starched shirt and a stiff detachable collar, with tie, waistcoat and tails. He is, however, in his seventies, and is most of the tasks given to him by Khlestakov are far too strenuous for a man of his age. This shows Khlestakov up as ungentlemanly, allowing such an old man to do work which would be easy for a twenty-three year old such as himself. Gibner the physician would wear, again, a black suit, a white shirt, and a red and blue striped tie, differentiating him slightly from the others, as a German. Despite his position as a doctor, his wearing a suit proves him to be more of a pen pusher, like the rest of the officials. None of them do any actual hands-on work in their sectors, showing them up as bureaucratic, making their corruption all the more distasteful. Svistunov an Dherzimorda the constables would wear standard Russian police dress, thick black coats and ushankas with police badges on the front. Svistunov would carry a whistle round his neck, which he would blow frequently whenever he is ordered to do something. He is of an average size, whereas Dherzimorda is a much larger, more intimidating character, to characterise the police force as brawny. Khlestakov, cast as a twenty-three year old, with long, dark hair and a beard, starts the play wearing a grey striped suit, which, whilst respectable, is clearly a little old. However, upon his reemergence in act three he wears a long, red and blue dressing gown, his hair newly washed, depicting him as a quasi-Jesus figure. This mocks the way in which the officials spend the last two acts seeking redemption, whilst in fact he is only a conman.
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