What happens when a foreboding document, an unqualified candidate, and a high-ranking political position come together? If your answer was American politics — well, you’re not wrong … but we’re looking for “The Inspector General!”

A climactic conclusion to a gripping production.

UC Santa Cruz’s Theater Arts Department is closing out their production of the satirical play “The Inspector General.” Performances started on Nov. 15 and the show will run until Nov. 24. Originally published in 1836 by Nikolai Gogol, the production was brought to life by two theater arts professors, adapted by Dr. Michael Chemers for the mainstage and directed by Kinan Valdez.

“It’s been adapted countless times into different languages, including a 1949 film,” Chemers said. “But as far as I knew when I started working on this in 2010, there hadn’t really been a modern adaptation of this play that was focused on not only our current political scandals and unethical behavior on the part of our elected officials, but also with our new technologies for communication.”

Behind the scenes with actors and stagehands preparing for the show.

“The Inspector General” tells the story of a corrupt council running the city of “Fakersfield.” The mayor, played by actor Drew Vander Weele, hears speculation that a high-ranking ethics inspector is coming to investigate their operations. However, a series of miscommunications and hijinks ensue when he mistakes a college drop-out for the inspector. 

Dr. Chemers noted that adapting Gogol’s play to match modern-day politics was easier than expected. 

“Unfortunately, we have plenty of examples of our elected officials being venal, self-serving, and unethical,” Chemers said. “So it wasn’t actually very hard to update this to a 2024 sensibility.”

Sylvia, the mayor’s wife, and Mary, her daughter, fight over the affections of Buttermilk, the assumed Inspector General, while the mayor bursts in.

However, following the 2024 Election, members from the cast had to have a conversation if the play was still appropriate to run. The cast raised concerns about the tone of the play and how it would affect audience members following the election’s results.

“That was a hard day. We all came in and there was just this gross air in the room,” said Hailey Kafer, the actress who plays Mary. “And I was all for doing the show because I think if anything, the results of the election made this show 10 times more important. I feel like now, more than ever, it’s showing like, ‘Look what’s happening to us.’ This could be us, this is us.”

Kafer explained that the election didn’t just add importance to the play itself, but pushed the cast to higher standards of production. 

“I think it maybe would have been a little funnier if the results had been different because it [would have] been like, ‘Oh, ha ha. So glad that didn’t happen!’” she said. “But now it’s real and it put this weight on us. We’re performing a show that has a lot of stakes.”

Buttermilk and his associate Zippo scheming in their hotel room, trying to find their way out of a dire situation. 

Rylind Richmond, the actress playing Bob Frick, wanted the audience to leave the play with a sense of purpose.

“I want people knowing that there is something that they can do, we’re not stagnant. We can always change what’s happening even though it feels so strenuous because you know, the powers that are above us, it seems daunting,” Richmond said. “Here is how we can do it. Art is a great form of creating change.”

Dr. Chemers explained that art is inherently a political act, but that it relies on an audience. 

“At the end of the day, it is a political act and an act of resistance to get up and consume art. If we put up a play and nobody sees it, then it’s not really art, we need an audience. I know people are thinking, ‘Oh, I’m feeling down about the world right now. I don’t want to go out and do anything.’ This is the time for you to get up and do something and engage with art as a form of political action.”

On-stage actors send thanks to the back-of-house production crew.