★★★★

Stepping into Measure For Measure, I wasn’t entirely sure what to expect… which was fine, because what Cheek By Jowl showcased was something entirely unpredictable, anyway.

On one hand, delving into a Shakespeare play I was mostly unfamiliar with was always going to be refreshing. What better way to sink into The Bard than to step away from the page and see the story performed? But there is a flip side to Cheek By Jowl’s approach. As captivating as the action onstage might be, there remains the odd hurdle of this entire production being performed in Russian. Reading surtitles is one thing; reading Shakespearean Russian while trying to focus on the actual performances was something else again.

Nick Ormerod’s stark set consisted of five enormous red cubes lit by a dozen or so hanging lights, which presented a very simple yet effective take on the play. As the cast wove in and out and around these red statues, shadowing each other between dialogue and waltz, it showed off artistic director Declan Donnellan’s flair for flamboyant subtlety. Slowly but surely the connections between those in power and those without it bubbled to the surface, as we relied more and more on gesture and expression to decipher meaning.

Although there was much wit, humour, cheek (albeit more so for the Russian speakers in the audience, who were able to cotton on much faster than I was) and abstract scene changes, the overall delivery of the piece was straightforward and the pacing exceptional (this production is also significantly shorter than the original text). Confronting, challenging and somewhat abrasive, the Duke addressed us as the ‘general public’, breaking the fourth wall as characters rushed down the sides of the theatre and back to stage again.

With such a fierce cast and Donnellan’s bold and imaginative interpretation of the piece, this production of Measure For Measure left its audience feeling somewhat shellshocked, yet intrigued.

Measure For Measurewas reviewed at Roslyn Packer Theatre on Sunday January 8 as part of Sydney Festival 2017.

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