On March 5, 2024, as part of the Week of the Department of Social and Humanitarian Disciplines and World Languages, first-year students of IETU, together with teachers Tsyrenzhapova G.G. and Shaimukhanova S.D., attended the performance of the M. Lermontov National Russian Drama Theater, «The Government Inspector».

The topicality of the best Russian comedy, written by N.V. Gogol almost two hundred years ago, is still quite obvious. Although the era of Nikolayev Russia was recreated on stage with the help of decorations and costumes—the end of the first third of the 19th century—it was easy to see certain associations with the current reality.

The talented performance of the acting troupe made it possible to involve the viewer in the plot of the play, to make it feel that the city indicated in the com]edy exists not somewhere but, to some extent, in any place, and the passions and vices of the characters are in each of us. Public vices were brought to the public`s court—bribery, embezzlement, serviility, honor, stupidity, and laziness—but the worst of all evils, of course, is corruption, which has penetrated all spheres of life.

The students, watching the actors play, got into the main idea, the huge social significance of «The Government Inspector», realized that the author makes us laugh at what we are used to, and even stopped noticing. Yes, Gogol addresses everyone: "What are you laughing at? You`re laughing at yourself!"—this i is the meaning of the famous remark of the mayor, addressed to the audience. The final scene of «The Government Inspector» also becomes clear when a gendarme appears and informs about the arrival of the inspector, but it is already a real one, and this has a stunning effect. The final «silent scene» has an exceptional meaning: each of the characters shows with his whole figure that he can no longer change anything in his fate, move at least a finger, i.e., we have a symbolic picture of the inevitable retribution for spiritual transgressions.

The visit of IETU students to the theater, organized by the Department of «Social and Humanutarian Disciplines and World Languages», was aimed at arousing students` interest in theatrical art, in particular the repertoire of the Russian Drama Theater named after M.Lermontov in Almaty. There are many ways to combat the vices of society, but laughter has always been and remains one of the most effective ways. Ultimately, it always cleanses a person`s soul. Gogol believed in the power of the artistic word, which could point the way to moral revival. With this faith, he created «The Government Inspector». With this faith, one of the leading Almaty theaters has been successfully staging this play for 10 years.