DUBIOUS political dealings, a rioting populace, mishandled money – sound familiar?

Communicado and Aberystwyth Arts Centre’s new touring production of The Government Inspector which comes to Sherman Cymru in March and promises a timely examination of corruption among those in power.

The Government Inspector was written in 1835 by Nikolai Gogol and set in Tsarist Russia, it is a classic satire on human vanity.

The play focuses on the lead character of The Governor, who is worried.

By night he dreams of huge rats trying to devour him, and by day news that a Government Inspector is due to arrive imminently in the district does nothing to calm his nerves.

The town officials are called together and told to waste no time in cleaning up their act – shredding incriminating documents, issuing gagging orders, blacking out of the media – they all have to work together, and fast, to cover up the corruption that’s been going on for years.

Bribes, misdirected contracts, misallocation of public money, fiddled expenses, abuses of office.

It all sounds as horribly familiar in 2013 as it did in 1835.

This fast-paced, raucously entertaining black comedy features an electrifying cast and live Balkan-fused music including electric balalaikas and mouth organs!

Directed by Gerry Mulgrew, founder of renowned theatre company Communicado, and adapted by Adrian Mitchell, originally for the National Theatre, this new production is a Celtic co-production between Communicado from Scotland and Aberystwyth Arts Centre in Wales.

The three month tour of venues in Wales and Scotland has been made possible thanks to support from Arts Council Wales and Creative Scotland.

The Government Inspector will be at Sherman Cymru, Cardiff on March 22 and 23, 7.30pm. Tickets are £12-£20, concessions £2 off and half price tickets for under 25s.

For further information and tickets, call Sherman Cymru on 029 2064 6900 or visit sher mancymru.co.uk.