St. Albert actor Alexandra Dawkins is getting typecast. The University of Alberta fourth year graduating BFA acting student first landed the role of brazen manservant Malvolio in Twelfth Night.
And now with Studio Theatre’s production of Nikolai Gogol’s Government Inspector, she is tapped to play Lyapkin Tyapkin, an unscrupulous, bribable middle-aged judge.
The Ukrainian-Russian playwright wrote the play as a satirical comedy of errors lampooning human greed, stupidity and the large-scale corruption of 19th century Imperial Russia.
Surprisingly, little has changed.
“This time it’s Trump in the spotlight. We’ve been trying to make as much political juice as possible from this. The political climate right now is that the world is on fire thanks to Donald Trump. And what about the corruption we don’t see?” asks Dawkins.
“The abuse of power happened in the past and it’s happening now. If we don’t respect history, it will happen again and again.”
In Government Inspector, rumours swirl through a small Russian town that St. Petersburg is sending an incognito inspector to investigate if the crown’s funds are being allotted for public works.
The mayor and his corrupt cronies, who have skimmed large sums over several decades, are in a panic. The frenzy heightens when they learn a suspicious person, Khlestakov, a foppish civil servant, is staying at the inn.
Unaware he is mistaken for a dreaded government inspector, Khlestakov enjoys the officials’ deference and boot-kissing. He makes outrageous demands and receives massive loans from the guilty parties, until he realizes the extent of their corruption.
Feeling it is too dangerous to continue the charade, he disappears post-haste. Just as the crooked officials congratulate themselves on his departure, a message arrives from the real government inspector demanding an immediate meeting with the mayor.
“It’s a comedy. It’s a satire. It’s fun to see how people scramble to make this guy (Khlestakov) happy. You put people in a pressure cooker and you see how they survive,” said director Ron Jenkins.
Jenkins is using the David Harrower adaption of Gogol’s play and is keeping it in the 1837 time-frame.
“We wanted to give it a classic feel, but as a modern production. This is a play that is timeless and still resonates 180 years later.”
Jenkins believes Government Inspector is still in high demand because the playwright was “the canary in the coal mine.”
“Gogol was trying to make a point as best he could.”
Dawkins’ judge, for instance, spends most of his time hunting while neglecting his judicial duties. He even keeps a whip and other sporting equipment in his courtroom for a quick get-away.
“He’s the oldest guy in the room and he’s the smartest in terms of manipulation. He’s been at it the longest,” said Dawkins.
As an actor, the 21-year-old has faced the challenges of changing her voice, shifting her walk and posture to match the judge’s age, gender, physicality and lifestyle.
“I even wear extra padding underneath my jacket. But I love physical comedy and making those big choices.”
Government Inspector runs Feb. 9 to 18 at The Timms Centre for the Arts.
Preview
Government Inspector<br />Studio Theatre<br />Feb. 9 to 18<br />Timms Centre for the Arts<br />87 Ave. and 112 St.<br />Tickets: Call 780-492-2495
