In my favourite Shakespeare play, the subtle, complex and troubling MEASURE FOR MEASURE, Vienna is in a state of lawlessness and immorality. In Joe Hill-Gibbins production for the Young Vic this is represented by a huge pile of blow up sex dolls.The state's intervention is represented at the Young Vic by the Duke and his followers filming people just out of sight of the audience, clips that are projected for us on the panels.
Angelo has a fatal flaw, he fancies a nun, Isabella, who has come to beg for the release of her brother, accused of immorality. Angelo propositions Isabella for sex in return for which he promises to help her. Both are tormented by religious dilemas, represented here by huge projections of iconography behind them amidst blasts of choral music.
Yes, this production really is that clumbsy, as if the director doesn't trust the audience's intelligence or the skills of playwright and actors to tell a story or convey the themes of the play without punching us in the face with them.
It's a miracle that the actors can make any impact at all amongst all this directorial posturing and preening but fortunately Romola Garai just about manages to be noticed amongst the screaming production concept and rewards us with a harsh, morally uncompromising Isabella that does full justice to the the least attractive elements of Shakespeare's prissy heroine.
Zubin Varla as the Duke never persuades that he's anything other than a mannered actor playing a role and there's no attempt to explain the character's extraordinary, calculated cruelty other than suggesting he's gone a bit crazy. Paul Ready is suitably buttoned up as the hypocritical Angelo but the character of Lucio, one of Shakespeare's most charismatic supporting characters makes no impact what so ever.
It's a silly production by a self-serving director that's only likely to appeal to critics jaded by watching too many other, more conventional, productions (This is London's third this year) or school kids who can have a snigger at the sex dolls and modern asides. Fortunately for Joe Hill-Gibbins the Young Vic press night was packed with both.
Authors often write a programme notes to explain their hopes for their piece but I’ve never read one that clarifies so precisely the intentions behind a play as writer Florian Zeller’s concise summary of his objectives with THE FATHER.