Details

First published in 1842, Gogol's classic tells the tale of Akaky Bashmachkin - a penniless, aging clerk in an unknown government department of St. Petersburg - who realizes his precious, shabby old coat will not last the winter. He has no option but to tighten his belt to afford a new one. But when his beautiful, immaculately tailored overcoat is finally ready, then his life seems suddenly filled with purpose - while out on the streets wretched souls are desperately yearning for the all encompassing warmth of his overcoat. Bashmachkin’s desperate struggle with poverty in a society defined by possessions is particularly resonant in the midst of Britain’s current economic climate, and with his scrupulous and scathing realism as well as philosophical depth, Gogol is still considered one of the greatest ever satirists. The company offers a faithful and culturally authentic interpretation of Nikolai Gogol’s absurdist satire, one of Russia’s most important texts, which has inspired Russian writers from Nabokov to Dostoyevsky.

Cast/Performers

Charlie Kerson, Colin Appleby, Russell Anthony, Chris Bearne, Peter Saracen, Ksenia Zaitseva, Cate Myddleton-Evans, Nathan Parkin

Creatives/Company

Author: Nikolai Gogol
Adapted by(s): James Fenimore, Howard Colyer
Producer: Assembly Point Productions
Director: Eero Suojanen
Design: Libby Todd
Costume: Libby Todd
Lighting: William Ingham