“The newspapers, sir, are the most villainous, abominable, infernal—! Not that I read them. I make it a firm rule never to look into a newspaper.”

“I mean it’s sort of a thriller, isn’t it?”

“I suppose so. Underneath.”

“Underneath?!? It’s a whodunit, man!”

Experience a madcap night of life in the theatre with two classic behind-the-scenes comedies, The Critic and The Real Inspector Hound. First, playwright and adaptor Jeffrey Hatcher (The Government Inspector) returns with a fresh take on Richard Brinsley Sheridan’s 18th-century romp The Critic, a whirlwind comedy about bad theatre, worse playwrights…and, worst of all, the critics. The meta-theatrical frenzy builds throughout from wacky antics and quick changes to an operatic burlesque as the company jumps from role to role.

The laughs continue with Tom Stoppard’s absurdist tour-de-farce The Real Inspector Hound, an ingenious play-within-a-play in which two critics find themselves caught up as unsuspecting suspects while they watch a classic 1950s-style whodunit in the style of Agatha Christie. STC Artistic Director Michael Kahn brings together an ensemble cast to take on both shows—and multiple characters—for a night of chaos and comedy.



The Cast

THE CRITIC THE CRITIC John Ahlin*

Mr. Dangle Naomi Jacobson*

Mrs. Dangle Hugh Nees*

Servant / Prompter Sandra Struthers*

Mrs. Buxom / Actress 1 Charity Jones*

Signora Décolleté / Actress 2 Robert Dorfman*

Mr. Sneer John Catron*

Sir Fretful Plagiary / Actor Robert Stanton*

Mr. Puff THE REAL INSPECTOR HOUND Robert Stanton*

Moon John Ahlin*

Birdboot Naomi Jacobson*

Mrs. Drudge John Catron*

Simon Gascoyne Sandra Struthers*

Felicity Cunningham Charity Jones*

Cynthia Muldoon Hugh Nees*

Major Magnus Robert Dorfman*

Inspector Hound Britt Herring*

Radio Voice



Artistic Team

Michael Kahn

Director Michael KahnDirector James Noone

Scenic Designer Murell Horton

Costume Designer Mark McCullough

Lighting Designer Christopher Baine

Sound Designer Adam Wernick

Composer Paul Dennhardt

Fight Director Frank Ventura

Period Movement Consultant Carter C. Wooddell

Casting Director Drew Lichtenberg

Literary Manager/Dramaturg Ellen O’Brien

Head of Voice and Text Craig Baldwin

Assistant Director Joseph Smelser*

Production Stage Manager Elizabeth Clewley*

Assistant Stage Manager





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