Review: Measure for Measure (Cheek by Jowl & Pushkin Theatre)

  
  
  

Measure for Measure

Written by William Shakespeare 
Chicago Shakespeare at Navy Pier (map)
thru Jan 31  |  tix: $68-$78  | more info 
  
Check for half-price tickets  
  

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Expressive use of movement elevates Shakespeare’s script

Cheek by Jowl i/a/w Pushkin Theatre and Chicago Shakespeare presents

Measure for Measure

Review by Oliver Sava

To mark the 400th anniversary of William Shakespeare’s death, Chicago Shakespeare Theater and a significant number of the city’s cultural institutions have launched Shakespeare 400 Chicago, a yearlong event of Shakespeare-inspired events and theatrical productions. The first foreign production of the festival arrives this week for a limited run of six shows, and if the rest of Shakespeare 400 maintains the level of quality reached by the Cheek by Jowl and Pushkin Theatre Moscow’s Measure For Measure, then it’s going to be a great year for fans of the Bard.

This collaboration from British and Russian sister companies interprets Shakespeare’s story of sexual liberty and political corruption in the context of present-day Russia, but its message will resonate with anyone that distrusts politicians and yearns for more transparency in government, making it the perfect show for present-day Chicago. Performed in Russian with projected English text, the production requires a lot of attention from the viewer, and there are moments when the actors are speaking so quickly that it can be difficult to absorb the full impact of the text while engaging with the physical performances. (Audience members that speak Russian have a big advantage in this regard.)

Thankfully, the actors are so expressive in their voices, faces, and bodies that the broad strokes of the story can be gleaned without looking at the text. The poetry of the language is lost when focusing on the actors, but it turns the production into something like a dance piece, where the plot doesn’t emerge from the words, but from body language and spatial relationships. The production moves at a brisk pace thanks to a clipped script, and the incredibly dynamic direction from Declan Donnellan keeps the ensemble constantly moving.

  

The play begins with the entire cast huddled into one large mass that moves through Nick Ormerod’s minimalist set—an empty raked stage with five big red boxes that have a bold graphic impact—creating a sense of order and community that will be shattered over the course of the show. Much is established without dialog in this opening, including the Duke’s (Alexander Arsentyev) diminishing control over his people, and the mass of cast members is a constant presence throughout, creating an uneasy atmosphere of constant surveillance and quiet judgment from the public.

Anna Khalilulina’s performance as Isabella is the beating heart of the production, full of pain, anger, and passionate dedication to her faith. Her love for her brother Claudio (Petr Rykov), who is to be executed for the crime of fornication, is clear, but it’s not as powerful as her love for her God and her eternal soul, which is put in jeopardy when Claudio’s jailer, Angelo (a cold, creepy Andrei Kuzichev), gives her the opportunity to save her brother by sacrificing her virginity. In the midst of the high-stakes drama, Alexander Feklistov’s bawdy Lucio is a refreshing burst of humor, providing some much-needed tonal contrast up until the very end of the show.

Arsentyev’s Duke does admirable work with the dichotomy of his character, who starts in a position of authority before abandoning his power to get a street-level view of his city, and the production handles Shakespeare’s problematic conclusion well, thanks to the subtle emotional shifts of Khalilulina and Arsentyev’s performances. Compared to the intense pace of all the scenes preceding it, the finale drags as it makes public all the schemes that have been unfolding in secret, but that doesn’t rob the story of its ultimate impact. The very last image of the production hits hard by doing what the show does best, using movement to reinforce character relationships in a way that elevates Shakespeare’s script.

Rating: ★★★½

Measure for Measure continues through January 31st at Chicago Shakespeare Theater, 800 E. Grand (map)..  Tickets are $68-$78, and are available by phone (312-595-5600) or online through their website (check for half-price tickets at Goldstar.com). More info at ChicagoShakes.com.  Performed in Russian with projected English translation. (Running time: 1 hour 50 minutes, no intermission)

Photos by Johan Persson

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artists

cast

Alexander Arsentyev (The Duke), Alexander Feklistov (Lucio), Anna Khalilulina (Isabella), Nikolay Kislichenko (Elbow), Andrei Kuzichev (Angelo), Anastasia Lebedeva (Juliet, Francisca), Ivan Litvinenko (The Executioner), Alexander Matrosov (The Provost), Elmira Mirel (Mariana, Mistress Overdone), Alexey Rakhmanov (Pompey, Friar Peter), Yuri Rumyantsev (Escalus), Petr Rykov (Claudio), Igor Teplov (Barnardine)

behind the scenes

Declan Donnellan (director), Nick Ormerod (set design), Kirill Sbitnev (asst. director), Irina Kashuba (choreographer), Sergey Skornetskiy (lighting design), Pavel Akimkin (composer)

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