The Government Inspector

See it if you want a hilarious, madcap show with lots of silly and a star turn by Michael Urie.

Don't see it if you don't like farce type shows.

See it if Light funny satire of the town leaders when the gov't inspector comes. Good acting and some hilarious moments.

Don't see it if You are looking for something deeper, more dramatic, intellectual or moving.

See it if you want to see Michael Urie & a very talented cast pull off an expertly timed farce that feels fresh, despite the play's nearly 200yo age.

Don't see it if you aren't in the mood for some unfettered fun.

See it if Great cast of comedic actors with Urie being quite adorable. The plot is good, non stop shenanigans and many laugh out loud moments.

Don't see it if Though I very much enjoyed the first act, the second was a little draggy and slow. Sometimes too much of a good thing can get tiresome.

See it if you enjoy old fashioned plays with a political message; silly characters, sight gags, intentional over-acting. The message is serious.

Don't see it if you don't like over-the-top characters and events, silliness on stage; you prefer serious drama as the vehicle for political criticism.

See it if you like classic plays updated.This is hilarious, very relevant, funny as homemade sin.Acting is superlative.Urie,McGarth &Burton are GREAT

Don't see it if you are looking for a dark drama or a musical. But if you like good plays, terrific translations, great acting and a fun show, then go!

See it if you think flatterers and drunks are hilarious.

Don't see it if formulaic comedies annoy you. Outlandish coincidences, stock characters, malapropisms, or slapstick leave you unimpressed.

Also Good first: Urie plays a wonderfully useless cad with none of the mean-spiritedness that threatens to poison comedy. He really carries this show. Arnie Burton is excellent playing the sardonic servant in a way that illuminates why the wise fool/dumb aristocrat team was so popular for centuries of farce. I wish he had more lines.

Not so good: The rest of the characters (Doctor, Teacher, Lawyer, Mayor...) are too undifferentiated in appearance and behavior. All in high boots, long coats, and dark beards and hats. I get the visual symbolism of all of them being uniformly corrupt; but isn’t the fun of watching a string of cheats and panderers in that they all flatter in their own distinct way? And that they are sequentially duped according to their habit? Seems like there was a missed opportunity to exploit the stock “types;” you can feel the effects in the last half when Urie takes a break from the stage and the drab sameness of these remaining characters slows the pace to a grind.... Read more Read less

See it if you enjoy period farces with broad character driven humor and slapstick comedy, done very well. Urie is hilarious!

Don't see it if you prefer serious dramas.

See it if you want to see a perfectly silly, very funny lampoon of government hypocrisy acted by an inspired cast led by Urie, McGrath & Burton.

Don't see it if you aren't into silliness no matter how well done.

See it if you want a high energy satire of political corruption, non-stop laughter, physical comedy; you love Michael Urie, Arnie Burton, Mary Testa

Don't see it if you don't like physical comedy or silliness; you want something intellectual or intense

See it if you appreciate the versatility of Michael Urie, the impeccable comic timing of Testa and McGrath, & the jokester-of-all trades Arnie Burton.

Don't see it if require gravitas in theater or hate frivolous fun in general. This leaves no lasting impression other than that you had a really good time.

See it if You are in need of a laugh; non-stop physical comedy that provides a clever and entertaining experience; fantastic cast that are 100% on

Don't see it if You dislike physical comedies - it was borderline a little much for me but was well acted; want a serious or resonant theatre experience

See it if you prefer your (semi-dated, semi-still-relevant) social commentary served up slapstick and screwball style, with a Russian influence.

Don't see it if you dislike humorous, sometimes-silly, physical comedies; require more modernized, edgy works; dislike works like The Play that Goes Wrong.

Also My knowledge of Nikolai Gogol is, confessedly, limited, but this did not stop me from utterly enjoying the madcap romp that is Red Bull Theater's The Government Inspector. The brilliant double-decker (and three-room) stage worked tremendously well and offers depth to some of the jokes ("we've taken this to a whole other level," notes Michael Urie's "inspector" (or pseudo-one), for instance). Indeed, Urie proves himself to be an exceptionally witty, physical, and intelligent actor who thrusts himself fully into the role, and the rest of the cast does a compelling job of bringing to humorous light this Russian town of corruption, idiocy, and mistaken identities. The rapidity of events, as well as the great humor, reminded me of The Play that Goes Wrong or a Bedlam production, and those who enjoy classic screwball comedies, slapstick, and the like will be delighted. I was fortunate to attend a show with a talk-back afterward (with director, Gogol scholar, and cast), which was edifying.... Read more Read less

See it if you enjoy veryyyy over-the-top farcical shows. Think Monty Python. Also good for Michael Urie fans.

Don't see it if can't take slapstick humor for too long.

See it if You love Urie, need the same intelligent hilarity he delivered in Buyer and Cellar, or are in need of a gut-busting, smart comedy.

Don't see it if You don't have patience for the occasional slapstick farcical show.

See it if You want to enjoy a very entertaining play.It is a fun time,with a great cast of actors who really appear to be enjoying themselves.

Don't see it if You don't appreciate silly comedy or prefer more serious drama.

See it if you want to see a brilliant cast especially the fantastic Michael Urie perform an updated Russian classic to perfection with perfect timing,

Don't see it if you don't enjoy updated Russian classic plays that are still so relevant to today's government situations.

See it if you want riotously funny theater with a wonderfully satirical bite. A top-notch adaptation, rib-ticklingly funny, w/stellar performances.

Don't see it if you don't appreciate good satire - spoofing obsequious officials trying hilariously to please who they think is the government inspector.

See it if You want to be entertained by great actors performing a fun, physical farce. Non stop laughter and Michael Urie was amazing.

Don't see it if You are looking for serious theater. This is just fun and silly, but it is really well done.

Also The unique staging of this production truly enhanced it. Creative use of the space. Solid depth of talent in the cast and it was great to see so many actors with Broadway credits. Farce and physical humor is difficult to pull off, but it was extremely well done in this production.... Read more Read less

See it if You love farce, Michael Urie, or just need to laugh at an incompetent government.

Don't see it if Farce makes you want to scream in horror.

Also Classic Gogol farce with big, physical humor from the excellent cast headed by a hilarious charmster Michael Urie; learned in the post-play discussion that with a censored press, Russian artists took political commentary onto themselves and their art forms. The play is certainly apt today.... Read more Read less

See it if A good old fashioned "mistaken identity" comedy that gets everything right! Fun ensemble, clearly enjoying themselves - lots of laughs!

Don't see it if you can't bear any politics in your entertainment these days, even from 19th century Russia.

See it if You like your satire over the top. It has some good acting, and we all enjoy disliking authority, so what's not to like.

Don't see it if You valorize surprise and the unpredictable, of which this is deficient. It is possible to find this tiresome, though clearly, most do not.

See it if You are a fan of Michael Urie & slap-stick humor & are up for a very silly show.

Don't see it if Slap-stick is not your thing!

See it if You want to laugh; you love Michael Urie

Don't see it if You don't like silliness; you don't like a premise of mistaken identity

See it if you want to guffaw at the comedic antics of great actors at the top of their game. Urie's drunk scene is just hilarious perfection.

Don't see it if Silly fun is not your thing