Comedy, Dance and Theatre

James Laurenson in Measure for Measure

Review: Measure for Measure

To read and listen to an interview with Frome's James Laurenson, who stars as Duke Vincentio in the play, follow the link on the right.

Sir Peter Hall's production of William Shakespeare's problem play Measure for Measure is dark, static and at times a cure for insomnia. At others the play's dialogue and wit simply dazzles, with brilliant performances and fine diction.

For students of the play, every line, word and vowel is perfectly audible. If you can resist the temptation to nod off, the story's complexities are unravelled and revealed, in all their double-dealing intellectual details, with the required clarity.

Measure for Measure: the plot

The Duke of Vienna Vincentio (James Laurenson) is concerned by the laxness of his regime - moral and social corruption is rife. He orders Angelo (Richard Dormer) to run his government, so he can step out of the limelight.

Michael Mears as Lucio

Once out of office, he disguises himself as a friar in order to spy on the workings of government, as well as Angelo himself, who reinstates an old law that allows the execution of any man who has sex out of wedlock.

Angelo is a nasty piece of work, imprisoning a young lover called Claudio who has got his girlfriend pregnant. He blackmails Claudio's sister Isabella (Andrea Riseborough), who is a nun, into having sex with him in order spare her brother's life.

The story includes various subplots and a long list of characters. Yes, it's not a story that is easy to follow, which might account for the fact that it is rarely performed.

Measure for Measure: the set

The set was a circular black structure of shining plastic, with doors and windows that alternated between a prison, nunnery, court room and the street, with the use of lighting.

Although highly flexible for the cast and story, there was a feeling that the drama became imprisoned within the constraints of the set, allowing for few surprises.

Ben Turner as Claudio

Indeed, whenever there was a prison scene, metal grills descended from the heavens at such speed I was afraid the cast would be knocked on the head by them.

As so often in this auditorium, the action remains trapped on the stage, not drawing in the audience enough to the drama.

Individually, there were some brilliant performances. Inevitably, with such a grim and ghastly tale, the lighter moments caught the attention.

Measure for Measure: the characters

Michael Mears as Lucio, Claudio's "fantastic" friend, used his body, voice and expressive face to accidentally send up in high farce the corrupt government of Angelo.

Edward Bennet, as Elbow the Constable, was on top form batting against a hugely enjoyable rogue called Froth, played by Malcolm Ridley, in one of the play's lighter moments: a court scene where Froth plays virtually every part.

Annette Badland, as the sluttish bawd Mistress Overdone, was perhaps the strongest of the character parts, as she oozed filth and degeneration with every swish of her dirty hemline.

Richard Dormer as Angelo

The role of the Duke seems self-indulgent to a modern audience. Why would a responsible governor relinquish his leadership in order to see how bad his administration is? Surely he should set about reforming it immediately rather this rather 'up-himself' course of action?

The answer lies in Shakespeare's interest in writing a drama that would tickle the fancy of the new monarch James I, who fancied himself as a philosopher and thinker on all things concerning the responsibility of power.

Poor James Laurenson seemed to carry the burden of not only his character's torment, but also those of the plot's complexities and that of an audience struggling to keep up; and dare I say it, the immobility of the director's artistic vision.

Despite Laurenson's efforts and those of the cast, there was only muted applause at the final curtain.