Play on Words

full length · satire

The Inspector-General

by Nikolai Gogol

21 roles (17M / 4F) · approx 146–201 minutes · 5 acts

Royalty-free Public domain — free to read, perform, and adapt. No licence needed.

Characters

Khlestakov lead 234 speeches
Governor lead 171 speeches
Anna supporting 87 speeches
Artemy supporting 48 speeches
Osip supporting 46 speeches
Ammos minor 43 speeches
Marya minor 43 speeches
Postmaster minor 40 speeches
Dobchinsky minor 38 speeches
Bobchinsky minor 37 speeches
Servant minor 25 speeches
Luka minor 21 speeches
Merchants minor 12 speeches
Korobkin minor 11 speeches
Mishka minor 9 speeches
Captain minor 7 speeches
Widow minor 6 speeches
All minor 5 speeches
Judge minor 5 speeches
Svistunov minor 4 speeches
Postilion minor 4 speeches
Korobkin'S Wife minor 4 speeches
Luka Lukich minor 3 speeches

Read the play

A number of Guests enter. They kiss Anna's hand saying: "Anna Andreyevna," then Marya's hand, saying "Marya Antonovna."

Bobchinsky and Dobchinsky enter jostling each other.

Bobchinsky. I have the honor to congratulate you.

Dobchinsky. Anton Antonovich, I have the honor to congratulate you.

Bobchinsky. On the happy event.

Dobchinsky. Anna Andreyevna!

Bobchinsky. Anna Andreyevna!

They bend over her hand at the same time and bump foreheads.

Dobchinsky. Marya Antonovna! [Kisses her hand.] I have the honor to congratulate you. You will enjoy the greatest happiness. You will wear garments of gold and eat the most delicate soups, and you will pass your time most entertainingly.

Bobchinsky. [breaking in] God give you all sorts of riches and of money and a wee tiny little son, like this. [Shows the size with his hands.] So that he can sit on the palm of your hand. The little fellow will be crying all the time, "Wow, wow, wow."

Monologues from this play