The Bard on the Beach production of Measure for Measure is now playing at The Howard Family Stage in The Douglas Campbell Theatre until September 20, 2024.
Adapted and directed by Jivesh Parasram, this high energy production works modern pop-culture music, references and innuendo into a 400 year-old story featuring themes of politics, money, consent and deception that are still topical today.
Duke Vincenzio runs Vienna with a very liberal hand, preferring to dance the night away with his citizens. When the Emperor decrees there shall be no more dancing out of wedlock, rather than face the music (or lack of) the Duke entrusts the task of enforcing the ban to the righteous and strict Angelo, then disappears in plain sight. Played on opening night by the always engaging Scott Bellis, the Duke is like the Grasshopper to Angelo’s Ant, seemingly only here for a good time.
Photo: Tim Matheson
Until Angelo (played with ‘vigor’ by Craig Erickson) takes the hard line a bit too far, aiming to make an example of Claudio for dancing with his fiancé before marriage and jailing others involved in these activities of ill repute. From prison, Claudio (Jeremy Lewis) sends word to the convent and his soon to be Sister, sister Annabella (Meaghan Chenosky), to plead his case with Angelo setting up the rest of the play’s typically-Shakespearean, overly-complicated, often-backfiring plan to free Claudio and to a greater extent free Vienna from Angelo’s strict grip.
Encompassed by Ryan Cormack’s club-like set, with a soundtrack of beats and pop staples mixed on the turntables by the silver-fox Aux Cable (played on opening night by Tal Shulman), this adaptation throws many a pop lyric and hip hop rhyme into the rhythms of Shakespeare’s work. The excellent cast take these beats, shaking and shimmying to Krystal Kiran’s choreography to create an flowing rhythm punctuated by bursts of laughter. With a wink and a nod, the energetic Karthik Kadam plays the laughs as Lucio with just enough reserve to keep him out of prison. The always stunning comedic and improvisational skills of Tess Degenstein, playing 4 different characters, were tested due to some technical issues but delivered with such poise and perfection it seemed part of the script. Leslie Dos Remedios, also playing multiple roles, is subdued as Escalus, a city clerk under Angelo, and over-the-top camp as Mariana, formerly betrothed to Angelo. With its quick costume changes, fast-paced character swaps, wild dancing and witty banter Measure for Measure is a fun night out.
Measure for Measure plays at Bard on the Beach Howard Family Stage in repertoire with Comedy of Errors until September 20, 2024. Special performances include Talkback Tuesdays July 23 and August 20, Wine Wednesday August 14. Visit bardonthebeach.org for showtimes and tickets.