Le Ministre japonais du commerce extérieur

Murray Schisgal’s satirical comedy follows the mayor of the small American town of Duckpond and his circle as they prepare for a visit by a foreign trade official, each hoping for personal advantage. Two penniless actors are mistaken for the expected visitors and decide to exploit the misunderstanding. The play reworks the comic premise of Gogol’s The Government Inspector as a satire of opportunism and credulity.