The Government Inspector is a 1835 Russian comedy by Nikolai Gogol and one of the most performed plays on the German-speaking stage.
A rumour is circulating round the local area that a government inspector has come to the town. This terrifies the mayor: he and his clerks have a lot to hide! They often take bribes and rarely fulfil their duties. It’s no wonder, therefore, that they do all they can to spoil and sweet-talk this young man from St Petersburg, who they think is the Government Inspector. But this chap is a run-of-the-mill penniless traveller who makes starts making his exit before things get too critical…