Kate Griffin reviews Measure for Measure, performed by Creation Theatre Company this spring at the North Wall Arts Centre.
Hypocrisy, lies, secrets and blackmail. No, I'm not talking about Eastenders; I'm talking about one of Shakespeare's most difficult plays. Measure for Measure, performed by Creation Theatre Company this spring, is a story where family loyalties are torn apart by impossible choices.
It's a world where the high standards set by the law are in sharp contrast with the reality of how people behave. But when Angelo, the Duke's deputy, takes over law enforcement, he begins a crackdown that has far-reaching consequences for many people: Claudio and Juliet, sentenced to death for an out-of-wedlock pregnancy; Isabella, Claudio's religious sister; and most importantly Angelo himself, who is forced to admit that he's not a man of steel after all.
Measure for Measure is a difficult play for many reasons. Part of the problem is that we don't have the original version of the text. The play was rewritten after it left Shakespeare's hands and now we have little idea of what he originally wrote. Adaptor Jonathan Holmes has cut through the Gordian knot of critical second-guessing by focusing on the main narrative of the play: a gripping sequence of events where the characters have just 48 hours to save Claudio from the punishment of beheading. The result is a pacy production where the urgency and conflict is leavened by humorous touches, Alexander Caine as Lucio deserving special mention for his comic performance.
Any actress playing Isabella has a difficult task. Isabella is a novice nun who values her chastity as highly as her own brother's life. It isn't easy to convey her values to a 20th-century audience and portray her as a sympathetic character. Many actresses play Isabella as chilly and saint-like, but Amy Stacy avoids this well-worn tactic and brings out the passion in the character's nature. She occasionally errs on the side of overacting, but it's good to see the caring, angry side of Isabella.
Adam Newsome as Angelo has the most difficult role; a man who becomes the villain of the piece despite trying so hard to be the good guy. Newsome strikes the right balance between conscience-troubled deputy and outright evildoer.
As we race towards the final showdown, there are many unanswered or half-answered questions. Will Isabella sleep with Angelo to save Claudio's life? Is Claudio wrong to ask her to do it? Why doesn't the Duke intervene? The pace of Creation's production helps to smooth over a lot of the problems with Shakespeare's plotting and create suspense.
When the final scene arrives, we're relieved to find that it's mainly happy ever after. Just one jarring note spoils the neat pairings - does Isabella really want to give up her religious vows to marry someone she barely knows, even if he has done her the biggest favour of her life? It's a timely reminder that this play will never slip neatly into the category of either comedy or tragedy.