It feels like cruel and unusual punishment that "Measure for Measure," perhaps the most compelling of William Shakespeare's late comedies, is also one of his most snubbed. Underappreciated and generally eclipsed by the Bard's flashier scripts, the play, when performed, is often an awakening to those who have never experienced one of Shakespeare's dark comedies.
Leeds Theatre is now granting this tragicomedy the audience it deserves, in a run that premiered Thursday night and will continue over the weekend. Though marked by a diversely talented cast, this latest incarnation could have benefited from a more straightforward presentation -- or at least one with fewer attempts at progressiveness.
Set in Vienna, when, according to Shakespeare, the city was rife with depravity and general lechery, the play begins with a temporary changing of the guard. The likeable but weak-willed Duke of Vienna (Jonathan Magaziner '07) has had problems enforcing the laws against fornication in the past, so he decides to go on sabbatical, entrusting the city to the strict, puritanical Lord Angelo (Michael Perlman '05). First item on the new ruler's agenda: Rid the city of brothels, whores and whatever sexual activity he considers unlawful.
Such decrees are ultimately more than the Viennese can handle, but it is not until Lord Angelo orders the execution of Claudio (Jed Resnick '06), a man arrested for impregnating his fiancée, that people begin to question his authority.
Naturally, if this story is to mean anything to its Renaissance audience, the Holy Duke must be exposed as a hypocrite -- or worse, a lecher himself. Shakespeare doesn't disappoint. Confronted by Isabella (Blanche Case '06), Claudio's pious but fierce sister, Angelo promptly falls in love with the nun-in-training, shedding his Angel mask to expose the Devil within.
A classic setup for a dynamic tale of justice versus injustice -- and yet, as the plot ambles toward its courtroom conclusion, the moral divisions between villain and victim grow increasingly ambiguous.
Adapting the original, somewhat cynical text to the Brown main stage, director Adam Immerwahr '05 made several significant revisions. Of particular note, he neutralized the gender distribution of Shakespeare's ordinarily male-heavy cast, transforming the original Escalus and Lucius characters into women. He also cut substantial portions of dialogue and soliloquies from the script, with the mixed result of creating a two-act, abridged version of the original. While this makes it more focused, it is now missing some of the verbal pyrotechnics that make the play what it is.
Perhaps the greatest disservice Immerwahr did to the original, however, was in deleting whole characters to support his minimalist vision. It could be argued that the greatness of "Measure" lies in its tempered balancing of comic and tragic devices, and the characters left out of this retelling include some of the play's much-needed comic relief. Stripped of its funnymen, the narrative feels heavy-handed and self-serious, as the audience nervously waits for opportunities to laugh.
The director compensated for these losses by collaborating with choreographer Claudine Lott '05. Infusing the performance with short dances, Lott's work serves to comfort the audience after a moment of high drama or elevate the inner turmoil of a character. For example, when Isabella faces a moral dilemma, she unleashes her emotions in a solo dance ritual. More successfully, the play is also punctuated by frequent duets shared by Claudio and Julietta.
While the choreographic approach to Shakespeare might seem like a good idea -- taking thoughtful risks with the classics is always to be encouraged - "Measure" is certainly a punchy enough play to maintain interest without balletic intervention. Instead, the production, with its jazz-slipper-clad actors tumbling across the stage, comes across as no more than a bizarre display of Shakespearean "Flashdance."
Fortunately, the production features several young talents eager to rescue the new script from its own iambic doldrums. Magaziner is appealing and well-cast as the Duke, demonstrating a nuanced understanding of the ruler's aim to please as well as his discomfort with the moral responsibilities of power. As the deserted Mariana, Anne Troup '07 exaggerates her character's sorrow in a manner that would be ridiculous if it didn't seem so spot-on in its context.
The production includes a few unorthodox casting choices as well. As Angelo, the diminutive Perlman is a joy to watch - remarkably fluid onstage, he channels both a forceful and invigorating stage presence. Case's interpretation of Isabella is uneven, and occasionally in her delivery she falls prey to substituting sheer volume for emotional depth.
Leeds Theatre's latest contribution may be more symbolist than Shakespearean, but even if the confusion prevents traditionalists from enjoying the show, all is not lost. A wise reminder to the purists of the world - Immerwahr's production can be seen as concrete proof that directing a classical play needn't always be measured.
