A night of laughter and charm: Rediscovering the joy of theatre with The Government Inspector

With the year winding down, revision coming to a close and exams quickly becoming a distant memory, I was in need of a celebration. With swathes of fancily dressed students parading down Leamington’s High Street, the idea of one of Warwick’s chaotic circles was hard to resist. But if a circle was tempting, then the bright lights of the Loft Theatre made me feel like Eve in the Garden of Eden.

The theatre was filled with laughter, ranging from amused chuckles, to ear-piercing bellows, thanks to the hilarious execution of a brilliantly sharp script.

Tucked away behind the award-winning Terrace Bar and overlooking the River Leam, the Loft Theatre is picturesquely located. Upon arrival, we were greeted by the friendly faces behind reception, who took our drinks orders for the interval and eagerly showed us to our seats. Before the humdrum and excitement died down, a quick glance around made clear the reasoning for the Loft Theatre’s initiative to offer free tickets to people aged 16-25. With young people today increasingly swapping nights out for low-cost cosy nights in, the theatre seems to harken back to a distant past. An entire generation seems to be missing out on not only a great night out, but the opportunity to lose themselves for a couple of hours in an excellent piece of art.

Wallowing in the disappointment of a disappearing art form all but over, the dimming lights were the cue for a sharply dressed cast to saunter on stage and lay the foundations for the farce that was soon to follow. And what a farce it was! For the duration of the play, the theatre was filled with laughter, ranging from amused chuckles, to ear-piercing bellows, thanks to the hilarious execution of a brilliantly sharp script.

Despite being slightly theatre-illiterate, I was grateful that, at a little over an hour, the first act laid down an easy-to-follow and engaging story. It establishes and develops the fear instilled into a corrupt, rural Russian town, who hear the news of an impending visit by an incognito Government Inspector. They plan to bribe their way into his good books, only to find out that the man they have been charming is not who they initially thought he was.

The play’s modern twist, through colloquial language, provides the 19th century script with a contemporary angle, proving its endurability against time.

A simple set consisting of little more than a door frame, window, a few chairs and an unchanging background, was enough to evoke the Russian countryside, with the actors bringing this village to life. A particular highlight comes in the form of John Fenner’s performance as Khlopov, a bumbling school teacher whose antics often leave him the butt of the joke, and the recipient of some of the night’s biggest laughs. The quickfire script bolsters these laughs, and the use of numerous breaks of the fourth wall offers some further insight into the character’s motivation. The play’s modern twist, through colloquial language, provides the 19th century script with a contemporary angle, proving its endurability against time.

The interval passed by blissfully, drinking on the theatre’s terrace.  With glasses drained, and legs stretched, it was time for the second act to commence. It flew by, with humour and wit I had now grown accustomed to, and the ending caps off the play in a subtly more sombre tone than before, as the consequences of the characters actions all come to light.

Marshall spoke about the Loft Theatre’s initiative to bring young people into the theatre.

I was in no rush to get out of my seat, and was glad to be given the chance to chat to some of the staff who work behind the scenes. Upon speaking to Kay Marshall from the Press and Publicity Team, I found out that all staff are volunteers, which is apparent in their enthusiastic and kind attitudes. Marshall spoke about the Loft Theatre’s initiative to bring young people into the theatre, as well as the excellent addition younger actors make to the cast. This included her own son Dylan, an effortlessly funny actor himself, as well as recent Warwick graduate Anna Butcher, who played Maria. It was an insightful chat and wonderful to hear from someone obviously so passionate. My whole experience made me want to book my next ticket to get back into the warm hospitality of the Loft Theatre as soon as possible.