Cast announced for The Government Inspector at Chichester Festival Theatre, led by Tom Rosenthal

Tom Rosenthal will star in the world premiere of The Government Inspector, a new adaptation by Phil Porter.

Directed by Gregory Doran, this version of Gogol’s 19th-century satire explores themes of skulduggery, mistaken identity, and human absurdity. The story follows the bureaucrats of a provincial town who panic upon hearing that a government inspector is coming. They mistakenly identify a lowly government pen-pusher as the inspector, leading to a series of comic events.

The show will open Chichester Festival Theatre’s season, running from 25 April to 24 May at the Festival Theatre, with a press night on 1 May.

Alongside Rosenthal, who plays Khlestakov, the cast features Joe Dixon as the Judge, Joe Eyre as Waiter/Gendarme, Nick Haverson as Osip, Lloyd Hutchinson as the Mayor, Sylvestra Le Touzel as Anna, Christopher Middleton as Head of Schools, Laurie Ogden as Marya, Oscar Pearce as the Charity Commissioner, Paul Rider as Dobchinsky, and Miltos Yerolemou as Bobchinsky.

Doran, former artistic director of the RSC, makes his Chichester debut as director. The creative team features designer Francis O’Connor, lighting designer Emma Chapman, composer Paul Englishby, sound designers Claire Windsor and Jonathan Ruddick, movement director Mike Ashcroft, and casting director Helena Palmer.

The show was revealed as part of Chichester Festival Theatre’s season – you can read more about it here.