Elisabeth Waterston as Isabella and Jefferson Mays as the disguised Duke
in a scene from Measure for Measure by Theatre for a Audience
(Photo credit: Gerry Goodstein)
A governor prosecutes sins of which he is most guilty. A politician criticizes his colleague for his own misdemeanors. A current news report? No, a vigorous, absorbing revival of Shakespeare’s problem comedy, Measure for Measure by Theatre for a New Audience. The new production directed by Arin Arbus, responsible for last year’s acclaimed production of Othello at TFANA, has staged a clear, clean spare production that highlights the language but also makes this Elizabethan play incredibly relevant to our current political scene. Performed in modern dress, the production led by Jefferson Mays, Elisabeth Waterston and Rocco Sisto is extremely accessible with uncanny parallels to contemporary times. Who knew that Shakespeare was so prescient?
Usually, Measure for Measure is a hard sell. Dubbed a “problem comedy” because the events until the end could very easily become a tragedy, the play has more in common with what we now call tragicomedy. Forced seduction, dereliction of duty, political corruption, crime, prostitution, pimping, perjury, promiscuity, a litany of sins are the elements of this play and aren’t particularly funny. However, the play drips with irony and ultimately has a happy ending. This production seems to be ripped out of the headlines of today’s tabloids of our elected officials’ transgressions.
Measure for Measure may be Shakespeare’s most cynical play, even more so than The Merchant of Venice or All’s Well That Ends Well , also classified as “problem comedies.” The Duke of Vienna has decided that he has been too lenient with the laws in place but that a crackdown from him would not sit well with the populace. He pretends to leave on a trip and delegates power to Lord Angelo who has the most unblemished reputation of any in Vienna. The puritanical Angelo immediately begins to crack down on the city’s vice by enforcing an age-old law punishing fornication with death. Claudio who has impregnated his fiancée Juliet before they could be married is caught by the ruling and sentenced to be put to death.
Claudio’s sister Isabella is about to take holy vows, but Claudio begs her to first go to Angelo and plead for his life. When Isabella receives an audience with Angelo, he is overcome with lust when in the presence of her beauty. He offers her a choice: if she will sleep with him he will pardon Claudio. Angelo’s strict morals buckle when confronted with this temptation, while Isabella must reconcile her honor to saving her brother’s life. In the midst of this dilemma, the Duke disguised as a Friar observes what is happening while he has given up the reins of power. Power, morality, justice and mercy are all brought into conflict in this drama which is a cautionary tale. It seems tailor-made as a commentary on our local political scene with elected officials being exposed for sexual misconduct that they are empowered to prevent.
Arbus’ riveting production is performed on a bare thrust stage in modern dress costumes designed by David Zinn. Whether because of the contemporary relevance of the play or that everything has been thought out so well, this Elizabethan play makes perfect sense set in our own time. With the limited color palette often used at TFANA, the contemporary clothes are in no way distracting. The diction is crystal clear making both the language and the ideas easy to follow, another TFANA hallmark. Marcus Doshi’s lighting adeptly focuses attention on the drama.
While the entire cast is both robust and spirited, some are more memorable than others. Mays, who is best known for his unique performances in the award-winning I Am My Own Wife and the Roundabout Theatre’s revival of Pygmalion proves he is admirably suited for Shakespeare. As the Duke of Vienna and later as the disguised Friar, Mays gives an elegant, detailed portrayal that adds multiple layers to his characterization. On the other hand, the generally reliable Sisto as the inflexible Angelo whose ethics fail the first time he is tested is one dimensional, failing to reveal the conflict at war within him. Waterston is an intense Isabella, although she is not the cover girl she is described to be.
Among the supporting cast, Alyssa Bresnahan’s impassioned performance as Angelo’s scorned betrothed Marina makes this role more notable than it usually is. Dressed as a police captain, Graham Winton brings considerable authority to his Provost of the prison. Alfredo Narciso as the impudent Lucio is hilarious, while John Keating’s Pompey, a tapster at the bawdy house, only gets his laughs part of the time. Mary Testa’s mannered performance as Mistress Overdone, a bawd, undercuts her usual scene-stealing talents.
Arin Arbus’ production of Measure for Measure turns Shakespeare’s play into a commentary on our own times while offering an engagingly accessible production for contemporary audiences. A play of all blacks and whites, saints and sinners, Arbus’ spare staging focuses the play’s moral questions under an intense spotlight. With Jefferson Mays’ stylish and polished performance in the leading role, Measure for Measure, which may not have been your favorite Shakespeare play, will find you looking at it with new eyes.
Measure for Measure (through March 14)
Theatre for a New Audience at The Duke on 42nd Street, 229 W. 42nd Street, in Manhattan
For tickets, call 212-229-2819 or http://www.dukeon42.org