Chichester Festival theatreThe standup brings his easy stage command to the role of a penniless nincompoop who tricks his way into authority in Gregory Doran’s production The programme for Gregory Doran’s revival of Nikolai Gogol’s The Government Inspector (1836) includes a letter from a Ukrainian academic bemoaning Putin’s attempts to claim Gogol as Russian although the Kremlin dictator could not sit with any comfort through a play about the stupidity of rulers on local election day in England (May Day in Russia) Doran strongly brings out how power can be a confidence trick in which both sides consent The citizens of a provincial Russian town submit to the authority of a penniless nincompoop because guilt at their corruption has led them to think they deserve him who they falsely believe to be their governmental nemesis the play can also be seen quietly to question whether the reflex sending of inspectors – into schools prisons – is distraction rather than action can’t overcome the original’s blunt structure It has a setup of exemplary economy – the opening line announcing “a government inspector is on the way” – but the subsequent misunderstandings are linear with no twists only the Postmaster (brightly played by Reuben Johnson) behaves badly in a way that impacts the narrative If only more were made of the Head of Schools the Chief of Police or the Charity Commissioner Phil Porter’s adaptation always favours lighter jokes such as anyone speaking a long Russian patronymic being blessed for sneezing Khlestakov is an unusual central role in that the character is only on stage for the middle three of the five acts That means the actor must satisfy anticipation with his entrance and leave a tangible gap after exiting Tom Rosenthal brings the easy stage command of a practised standup to a performance of energetic inflections and physicality that suggests a route to Shakespearean and Restoration comedy clowns Miltos Yerolemou and Paul Rider double-act nicely as Bobchinsky and Dobchinsky landowners as interchangeable as Rosencrantz and Tweedledee for all the efforts of the director and cast darker plays that knowingly used Gogol: JB Priestley’s An Inspector Calls and Dario Fo’s Accidental Death of an Anarchist We now demand tougher inspection of government At Chichester Festival theatre until 24 May SearchBracklesham Garage Plans Submitted To Chichester District CouncilKaren Dunn LDR43 minutes ago1 min readPlans to demolish and rebuild two blocks of garages in Bracklesham have been submitted to Chichester District Council The application from West Bracklesham Drive Management Ltd relates to a total of 13 garages in Bourne Court A statement included with the application said: The plan is to rebuild on the same footprint the new garages will be better suited to the environment pre-finished aluminium doors and pvc fascias log on to publicaccess.chichester.gov.uk and search for 25/00988/FUL Privacy Statement Terms and Conditions Google Public File © More Radio 2025 | The All England Jumping Course Phil Porter’s new adaptation of the Gogol satire Gareth Carr Ukrainian born Nikolai Gogol wrote The Government Inspector nearly 190 years ago Gogol mercilessly pillories the corruption and ineptitude of governments and mocks the bureaucracy that ensnares societal function It’s easy to see why Phil Porter has found it relevant and worthwhile adapting it to launch the new Chichester season Gregory Doran makes his directorial debut at Chichester with a robustly comic production that leans heavily into the farce of the piece, leaving the satire mostly behind. Porter’s script is rambunctious and rapid, and in the hands of this humorously colloquial company, it largely sounds a treat and is full of genuinely funny lines. As servant to Tom Rosenthal’s Khlestakov Nick Haverson’s Osip corrects what his master calls “fine living” to simply “twatting about” It’s not the language of Tsarist Russia that was perhaps intended The brutish town Mayor along with his officials of local government are tipped off that an undercover inspector is heading their way from St Petersburg Fearing that the aim is to “crush the traitors from within,” they convince themselves that “Russia would never do that” There is no subtlety to some of the messaging here They conspire ever deeper to ensure that the man that they believe is the inspector is left in no doubt as to their good conduct in all things it is only that they are the ones that are more used to accepting the bribes than giving them that make them feel so uncomfortable Lloyd Hutchinson’s Mayor blusters and bombasts as he steers his conspiratorial partners ever further into deception Only very briefly does Doran allow the darker underbelly of the play to sneak through as we witness the horrors that the mayor has been inflicting upon the residents of the town It’s a frustrating glimpse into something more substantial that is never fully realised Miltos Yerolemou and Paul Rider’s Bobchinsky and Dobchinksky are a Tweedle-Dum and Tweedle-Dee pairing of comic underdogs with some fun comedy business whilst Sylvestra Le Touzel is part Hyacinth Bucket and part Panto Dame as the haughty mayor’s wife Anna belittling her daughter (Laurie Ogden) at every opportunity Rosenthal’s Khlestakov enjoys plenty of physical comedy particularly as a cackling drunk who is baffled by the actions of those around him His lofty views of the provinces and the provincial folk within are curbed only by his thoroughly abysmal treatment – “like vermin” – of his manservant Haverson squeezes every ounce of comedy from the brow-beaten employee particularly being the only character to understand what is going on The Russian skyline of Francis O’Connor’s rustic stage design is made up of snow-capped bureaucratic turrets that are both buildings and bulging filing cabinets Some clumsy scene changes are masked by a trio of Russian Cossack musicians who help to set the tone nicely Momentum drops in the second act and the comedy becomes more laboured as we build to the inevitable crescendo Doran leaves us with a lingering tableau of inaction at the finale that feels like the final misstep to which the audience isn’t quite sure how to respond A frustrating end to an evening of both highs and lows Get the best deals and latest updates on theatre and shows by signing up for WhatsOnStage newsletter today The Government Inspector at Chichester Festival Theatre Disclaimer: Gifted tickets in exchange for an honest review This production includes the use of e-cigars and has one loud crash in Act One Kick-starting the new season of Chichester Festival Theatre with a socio-political comedy in a time where it feels like all eyes are on the world governments and their actions The Government Inspector could have been an all-around success Gogol’s farce was a surprising hit upon its premiere in 1836 Tsarist Russia all sense of story and moral feels lost amongst glib one-liners and attempts at pantomime-adjacent comedy Gregory Doran’s direction does not allow the full dive into the satire or the pantomime falling flatly between them and leaving it feeling dry and in need of something more When news of a government inspector coming to monitor the actions of a provincial Russian town reaches the governing body the mayor (Lloyd Hutchinson) and his corrupt cohort of officials strike up plans to mislead and bribe their way to a pristine review Khlestakov (Tom Rosenthal) is assumed to be the said inspector unbeknownst to him and his mistreated servant As the town tries to lie their way through the ‘inspection’ Khlestakov realises that he has been misidentified and uses the situation to his monetary and social advantage the officials are left with the news of the real inspector coming to visit and the realisation of their misplaced actions comes to light Porter’s redefined adaptation of the Gogol classic leaves all the characters being deemed wildly unlikeable The audience are rarely given someone they feel like rooting for and even laughing at the ensemble feels as though it is a battle from the cast to earn the audience’s enthusiasm Haverson’s hard done by Osip felt the most natural to watch in his scenes of commentary on his cruel master He captured the comedic timing needed when paired with the absurd situation Osip finds himself in Asides to the audience often fall flat and are not given the time to distinguish them from fourth wall breaks or general dialogue but Haverson delivers his introductory monologue in perfect fashion that gives high hopes for the rest of the show the ‘Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum’ type characters of Dobchinsky (Paul Rider) and Bobchinsky (Miltos Yerolemou) capture the exact slap-stick pantomime-seque comedy that the play should have leaned into more The pair deliver the right amount of clownish comic relief where scenes feel sluggish and need tightening.  Francis O’Connor’s set design perfectly captures the chaotic dysfunctional world of the mayor and the town he oversees turning overflowing cabinets into Russian townhouses slotted amongst extravagant doors and windows The tight space of the attic room at the inn where Khlestakov and Osip stay also paints a perfect picture of the contrasting world he first finds himself in before accidentally graduating up to the delights of society the allowance for physical comedy in the smaller space is where the show is at its best O’Connor’s design is a major highlight of the entire show and complements the material in ways that allow for the more slapstick elements to land just right Russian music performed by an onstage trio (Moira Hartley scene changes flow between each other with a welcomed musical break before we resume the action.  Where some shows thrive with a large ensemble-based comedy this particular production of the Gogol play feels like it never quite lands on its feet Act Two is particularly sluggish in its attempts to work its way through every character having a singular interaction with Khlestakov namely with the Judge (Joe Dixon) and his excellent physical comedy felt more adjacent to what they managed to pull off in Act One even the final ‘gotcha’ moments and revelation feel anticlimactic featuring possibly the most iconic fourth wall break in the entire show lands flatly as there is never a clear boundary to what is being said as an aside and what is actual dialogue within the scene the show feels too long and slow to work as a farcical With tighter direction and leaning more into the chaos the show might have been able to reach its full potential but never quite tickles the funny bone as it should There is never any real conclusion to the events that befall the town that would leave the audience with some moral or comedic outcome there are the bones to a good comedy here and the moments that work really do work The potential for the cast to grow even more into the roles is definitely something to look for it is a decent night out at the theatre for a few laughs here and there At Chichester Festival Theatre until 24 May 2025 Made with Squarespace Dover Clinch Play-off Spot with Composed Win at Oaklands Park Dover Athletic secured their place in the 2024/25 Isthmian Premier Division play-offs with a crucial 3-1 win away at Chichester City on the final day of the regular season With both sides vying for the final play-off spot – Dover in fifth and Chichester in sixth – the stakes could not have been higher while a draw would be enough for the visitors The hosts started brightly in front of a strong home crowd Their possession-heavy approach put Dover under early pressure and an injury to Curtis Da Costa forced an early reshuffle with Charlie Bennett introduced in the 16th minute Chichester’s persistence paid off in the 25th minute when Lewis Rustell executed a stunning overhead kick looping the ball past a stranded Mitch Walker who made his first start in five months for Dover following injury Luke Baptiste’s inswinging corner was met at the near post by George Nikaj whose glancing header nestled into the bottom corner They dominated the closing stages of the half Dover came out after the break with renewed energy a powerful header from Luca Cocoracchio was denied by a superb save from Kieran Magee The hosts had their moments but failed to capitalise with efforts from promising positions flying over the bar A surging run and cross from Roman Charles-Cook found Ruben Soares-Junior lurking at the back post for a simple tap-in Dover nearly extended their lead through an audacious bicycle kick from Soares-Junior and a powerful drive that Magee parried away making two critical saves to preserve Dover’s lead The second came just before the breakaway that led to a penalty deep into stoppage time the referee pointed to the spot after a foul in the box coolly converting in 90+9 to round off a clinical away performance The goal marked his 20th of the league season joining Nikaj and Soares-Junior in an elite trio for the Whites Dover Athletic finish the season in fifth and now turn their focus to a play-off semi-final against Billericay Town on Wednesday night Chichester’s brave campaign ends in heartbreak falling just short of a historic play-off push in their first season at Step 3 Isthmian League Premier DivisionDate: Saturday 2025Venue: Oaklands ParkAttendance: 1,356Referee: Daniel D’UrsoKick-off: 3:00 PM masterfully adapted by the sharp wit and inventive mind of Phil Porter brought to life by a talented and exuberant cast and crew is a fitting and triumphant start to the new Chichester Festival theatre season Upon entering the theatre the audience is greeted by a trio of traditional Russian folk musicians playing with a spectacular setting It has a rustic grandeur and is an impressive sight filling the theatre stage As the musicians leave the stage we are introduced to the Mayor of this provincial Ukrainian town played with grotesque excellence by Lloyd Hutchinson Within seconds the crowd can tell the Mayor is a bully a bore and power hungry petty man who the towns folk and local businessmen fear He is the biggest of fish in a very small pond He love’s how much influence he has but there is a spanner in the works; acquaintances tell him there is a government inspector in town and if he does not deal with this matter in a very careful manner his whole existence could be in jeopardy The news of an inspector coming to call throws the Mayor and several other corrupt officials that surround him into a panic especially when it seems that the inspector has already been a guest at the local inn for the past two weeks Among the chaos a plan to go and greet the inspector is hatched with the Mayor at the helm in order to see if they can placate or bribe him in any way What the officials are unaware of is that the person they think is an inspector is not at all He’s a travelling chancer with a superiority complex Phil Porter’s pacy and very funny script is crammed full of fabulously descriptive put downs He produces a wonderful mischievous turn of phrase to great comedy effect Warm laughter fills the room all night long There’s plenty of slapstick with Miltos Yerolemou and Paul Rider as Bobchinsky and Dobchinsky at the forefront They are a consistently hilarious pairing constantly bickering and talking over one another to great comedic effect One stunt in particular draws loud gasps from the audience due to the audacity of its nature and how expertly it is executed Reuben Johnson shines as the rather simple Postmaster who reads all outgoing and incoming mail before it is passed on to the town’s citizens and Joe Dixon as the equally corrupt and no nonsense Judge revells in some of the funniest lines of the play more commonly known as a stand up comedian and for his role on channel four’s Friday Night Dinner the mistakenly ascribed Government inspector There is an extremely funny scene where a drunk Khlestakov exalts and lies about his importance It has the gathering laughing hard as the character goes more and more over the top Nick Haverson as Khlestakov’s put upon servant delights the crowd with his masterful performance as the belligerent His character has a mischievous twinkle and manner which is very endearing with the imposter realising that the town thinks of him as a very special VIP he exploits them for all they are worth; extorting all the corrupt officials for monetary “loans” He also gets embroiled with the wife and daughter of the Mayor as he tries to push his luck even further The Mayor’s wife Anna (played exquisitely by Sylvestra Le Touzel) and her daughter Marya (Lauire Ogden) are another excellent comedy pairing the downtrodden daughter is played to comedy perfection by Ogden and Le Touzel is divine as the overbearing and ambitious mother As the piece continues the atmosphere of hysteria increases The officials need to display their fealty to the interloper ramps up and the general state of chaos continues at pace until the hilarious denouement is revealed This adaptation of The Government Inspector is beautifully paced excellently executed and marvellously written It’s an excellent start to the Chichester season Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value" overlooked by the ‘reverse’ side of Spartacus let’s say we discovered we were running a 3-lap course There were to be lots of 90 degree turns as we snaked up to the top the horizontal bits to be nice breaks between the inclines so none of them went on too long Following the intro and the main briefing we then headed to the start and with a 3-2-1 Thank-you to you all and if you are reading this and want to get involved in future weeks then all details can be found at http://www.parkrun.org.uk/chichester/futureroster/ Also a mention for Barbara PRINCE who I had a nice chat with at the end she was celebrating completing 200 parkruns with family This was nice to see as my friend Janice was doing the same back home also with children and grandchildren supporting always warming to see multiple generations together at parkrun I hadn’t realised at the time but Barbara also recorded the highest age graded performance this morning handed me a chocolately rabbit prize for “best hat” a category I was both first and last in lol the usual idea that bank holidays are the perfect time for engineering works I wasn’t able to stay around for too long but did get myself a coffee and watch as more parkrunners finish I’ll end by again thanking all the volunteers and wishing your friendly event best wishes for the future © parkrun Limited (Company Number: 07289574) No part of this site may be reproduced in whole or in part in any manner without the permission of the copyright owner To continue reading this article you must be logged in Register or login below to unlock 3 free articles every month Or subscribe from just £7.99 and get unlimited access to thestage.co.uk Invest in The Stage today with a subscription starting at just £7.99 © Copyright The Stage Media Company Limited 2025 West Sussex County Council want to hear your views on proposed improvements to North and East Streets in the Chichester city centre Following a study undertaken in collaboration with Chichester District Council the county council published a key decision approving funding for the detailed design of the proposed improvements These designs will honour Chichester’s rich heritage while providing modern durable surfaces that improve safety and accessibility Cabinet Member for Support Services and Economic Development at West Sussex County Council said: “Renewing the heart of Chichester’s city centre will boost the local economy by attracting more visitors and supporting our businesses The proposed upgrades will create a more welcoming and vibrant environment helping to increase footfall and improve accessibility This is an essential step in ensuring Chichester thrives economically while remaining a place of historical significance.” “The need for these improvements is recognised as a key priority in the Chichester Vision and Chichester Growth Programme which focuses on making the city a vibrant Cabinet Member for Highways and Transport at West Sussex County Council added: “The current surfaces in North and East Streets have reached the end of their useful life leading to costly repairs and safety concerns These proposed improvements are not only about making the city centre more attractive but also about reducing long-term maintenance costs and ensuring the safety of everyone who visits I encourage everyone to get involved and share their feedback to help shape a safer From 4th to 29th November 2024, we will hold a public engagement period, where residents and businesses can provide feedback on the concept designs. You can view the proposals and submit your feedback through an online survey via https://yourvoice.westsussex.gov.uk/chi-pr or attend one of the following in-person events: 9am-3pm – outside the Chichester City Council offices on North Street  - 6th and 20th November – at our market stall in Chichester traders' market - 15th November – at our market stall in Chichester Farmers market written surveys can be picked up and submitted at the following locations: - Chichester District Council offices in East Pallant - Chichester City Council offices in North Street Let us know if this page was helpful so we can make improvements Leave your feedback below to show how useful you found this page West Sussex County Council will only use this email address to respond to any issues raised The day will be an opportunity for people in West Sussex to come together and pay tribute to all those who fought for freedom from 1939 to 1945 Residents are being encouraged to be a part of history by watching a flag raising or the lighting of beacons joining a street party or attending a church service You can check out what’s happening near you at ve-vjday80.gov.uk Our library service also has a wide range of resources to help you celebrate and find out more about VE Day. If you would like to know more about the Home Front during the war, then Matthew Jones, Assistant County Archivist at the West Sussex Record Office, will be giving a talk called ‘West Sussex at War 1939-1945: the Home Front’ at The Old Library, Knockhundred Row, Midhurst GU29 9DQ on Thursday 8 May at 2pm. Booking is essential then you can join a free online webinar on Sussex Day (16 June) the latest in the West Sussex Unwrapped series from West Sussex Record Office and Screen Archive South East will explore the experiences of ordinary West Sussex residents on the Home Front in the Second World War Photographs and documents from the Record Office will help to bring to life themes such as evacuation air raids and the ever-present threat of invasion by sea whilst films from Screen Archive South East will show Home Guard training and activities including the wrong and the right way of dealing with Nazi spies The talk will end with a compilation of films depicting the war-time experience and the end-of-war celebrations across the south east. Find the details here. Here’s some of the other VE Day events happening in West Sussex: ·        From May to September our West Sussex Record Office in Orchard Street, Chichester, will host a display of World War II photographs, with a selection of images displayed in some of our libraries across the county as well. ·     Throughout May there will be an exhibition at Midhurst Museum of World War II artefacts from the Royal Sussex Regiment collections. You can find out more about the Royal Sussex Regiment Archive including World War II material here: The Royal Sussex Regiment - West Sussex Record Office.  ·         During War Graves Week from 2 to 11 May, there will be Commonwealth War Graves Commission tours at Midhurst, Easebourne, Lodsworth and Clymping where those who lost their lives in World War II are buried, including men from the Royal Sussex Regiment. Find out more about War Graves Week here. said: “It is fitting that we mark the 80th anniversary of the liberation and the end of World War II in Europe “The hard-won victory began in June of 1944 with the Allied landings in Normandy and further operations in northern France in which British and Dominion forces alongside US and other forces played a central part These continued at Arnhem and in the Ardennes during the harsh winter of 1944 "In the spring of 1945 British and other forces advanced through northern France and towards the end of April and during the first days of May liberated occupied Belgium and the Netherlands.  “West Sussex played its part in the liberation home as it was to the extensive build-up of ground and airborne personnel and equipment as well as to vast amounts of supporting materiel and supporting continuing cross Channel operations “When the formal end of WW II hostilities was signed on 7 and 8 May over a million people celebrated in the streets of Britain Victory in Europe Day is celebrated and remembered in most European nations.  “This is a time not only to remember the extraordinary effort and events of 80 years ago but also to reflect in gratitude on the sacrifices made by so many in the pursuit of peace.”  Photo credit: West Sussex Record Office L’Alouette/A/1/23/5 - tea party in Lyon Street Dover head to Chichester in our final Isthmian Premier Division league game of the season Dover need at least a point to secure a top-five playoff spot finish George Nikaj’s second-half goal rescued a 1-1 draw for Dover Athletic against 10-man Hastings United keeping their playoff hopes alive with one game to play Hastings took a controversial lead through Davide Rodari just before half-time Dover responded with urgency after the break dominating possession and creating chances Hastings’ Finley Chapman was sent off on 63 minutes and Dover capitalised when Nikaj scored in the 74th Despite sustained late pressure and several close efforts Ruben Soares-Junior netted a superb hat-trick as Dover Athletic thumped Chichester City 5-2 in wet Bank Holiday weather at Crabble George Nikaj bagged a brace and Alfie Matthews impressed Despite a missed penalty and two first-half equalisers from Chichester Nikaj scored twice early in the second half before Soares-Junior sealed his treble and a deserved win I think we’ve had a tremendous season but it’s not finished yet and we really want to finish it off next week and secure a spot in the playoffs. If you can get down to Chichester and support the lads and we’ll give it our all – like we have done from the first game to the last game.” Chichester City claimed a hard-fought 1-0 win over Whitehawk thanks to a brilliant 20th-minute strike from Josh Rustell after fine work by Davidson and Rowlatt Chichester dominated the first half with inventive play from Jammeh creating multiple chances and forcing key saves from Osaghae with Whitehawk pressing but failing to break through Maguire-Drew hit the woodwork from a free kick and Chichester rode their luck amid a series of late corners A late red card for Whitehawk captain Charlie Walker helped Chichester secure a fifth clean sheet in six matches Chichester City sits in 6th place in the Isthmian Premier League with 73 points from 41 matches they’ve played 21 matches with a record of 11 wins 22/03 – Hastings United (A) – Won 2-029/03 – Lewes (H) – Won 3-005/04 – Hendon (A) – Lost 1-212/04 – Chatham Town (A) – Won 1-018/04 – Cheshunt (H) – Won 4-021/04 – Whitehawk (A) – Won 1-0 Gates Open: 1PMAdults – £10 Concessions – £6Students/16-18s – £4 Under-16s – £2 Youth Parent (Youth player must be in attendance) – £4 Fans travelling to our game against Chichester are advised to pre-purchase tickets on the following link: https://app.fanbaseclub.com/Fan/Tickets/SelectType?fixtureId=11335