Measure for Measure

Nov 3, 2018. Donmar Warehouse

A very modern #metoo generation take on one of my least favourite Shakespeare plays that made me see it in a whole new light.

We all know the story. The duke leaves his position in Vienna to be with the people and leaves his state in the hands of someone far more oppressive and jobsworthy when it comes to holding up the letter of the law. Claudio is sentenced to death for premarital sex and his sister who’s training to be a nun pleads for him. The jobsworth then insists to save her brother she must lose her virginity to him.

The twist here is that Hayley Atwell and Jack Lowden swop roles as the jobsworth and the trainee at half time. So you get to decide what the difference is between a woman being sexually propositioned and harassed and a man.

It’s a fascinating idea and I loved it.

The first half is traditional dress and the traditional roles. Here Atwell shines but Lowden seems a little less at ease. And the pace of the play whips along (it has to, its got to be all done in about an hour).So whilst several purists I overheard at half time were bemoaning the liberal chopping of the text. I didn’t mind a jot.

I loved the exploration of the difference between the sexes. It made the sibling scene incredibly poignant. If his brothers virginity is at stake, what’s the big deal? Shag her and let me live.

The difference in the audience reactions were fascinating too. Surely a sex pest is a sex pest, right?

Loved the simplicity of the staging. It really accentuated the differences.

Special shout out to Sule Rimi who I thought did a superb job as the different Claudios.

I understand why the ending was as it was however I don’t think there is anything more powerful than Atwell’s anguished No at the end of the first half.

4/5 Measure for #metoo