AFTER what seemed a lengthy pause, the Brian Duguid theatre stage suddenly filled with costumed characters who sang a song, in fluent Russian, as Nikolai Gogol's famous play The Government Inspector commenced.
Presented faultlessly, and thankfully in English, or to be more precise, Kelvinside Glasgow with a
touch of Geordie Newcastle, thanks to a witty translation adapted by the late and much missed Adrian Mitchell.
The plot, which evolves around mistaken identity, corrupt small town officials headed by a bullying Governor (John Bett), was a shade complicated at the beginning when coming to terms with people called Mishka (Lewis Anderson), Khlestakov (Andy Clark), Dobchinsky (Tim Licata) and Bobchinsky (Mark Prendergast) may have seemed a shade foreign to a Livingston audience had not they clearly known their Chekhov from their check out.
While the mistaken identity plot is a shade complicated to begin with, by the second half, the pace quickened, the laughs were thick and furious and the undoubtedly inspired cast who even managed a balalaika as well as fiddles, cello and tambourine proved, if proof were needed, that the combined talents of Communicado and The Tron Theatre are indeed a force to be reckoned with.
Bouquets are deserved by all the versatile cast which starred John Bett, Cliff Burnett, Andy Clark, Tim Licata, Alasdair Macrae (his reading of a letter was brilliant theatre), Kirstin McLean and Gerda Stevenson as the Governor's wife and daughter, Malcolm Shields and Lewis Anderson.
Add an ingenious set, excellent direction from Gerry Mulgrew and Lorna Duguid's ability to produce a play with many facets and make them sparkle and you can see why the audience accorded this Government Inspector rapturous applause at the end.
"I suppose you could say they are bringing culture to Livingston," said one member of the delighted audience.
Certainly John Bett, whose performance as the Governor was a rich mix of River City culture and pantomime asides, did emerge as the star of the evening in a galaxy of stars from the crème de la crème of Scottish theatre. Beautiful costumes added to the magic.
Well done West Lothian Council for attracting players and a play of this standing to Howden Park and satisfying those culture vultures who successfully almost filled the theatre.
