The Government Inspector
The Government Inspector written by Nikolai Gogol (modified for the Hanover High School stage by Mary Gaetz) was a smash hit last month in the school auditorium. The Footlighters put on a show that they referred to as “the best production that they’ve staged in years”. This comedy follows the tale of the residents of a small Russian village driven to panic by their fear of a clandestine government employee who has been sent to inspect their dysfunctional town. Central characters played by Seamus Good, Henry Lang, Catherine Collison, and Sarah McPeek were all engaging and humorous in bringing this production to life. The relevance of the staging on the backdrop of the Sochi Olympics was fitting in timing, setting, and references to a culture which may seem most foreign to those of us in the Upper Valley.
The play was attended on all three nights by a full house of parents, students, and fans of the Footlighter’s productions. One parent was overheard saying, “This show exceeded all expectations for a high school play.” The enthusiasm and effort of the entire cast and crew was projected from the moment the curtains opened until the final bow. Some of the funniest moments included an inebriated Khlestakov (played by senior Seamus Good) and almost the entire cast onstage having a raucous party. The cast and crew were delighted that their efforts paid off in infectious laughter that filled the house from beginning to end.
The Footlighter’s next production of the Wizard of Oz will be staged in Spring 2014 and is sure to be just as engaging, if not more so, than The Government Inspector. The cast will include sophomore Lily Cadow as Dorothy and senior Seamus Good as the Wizard as well as a combined effort of the entire drama club. If you have not yet been to a Footlighters production in the past, consider this an invitation to support your classmates and spend a wonderful evening with family and friends.