BWW Reviews: Seattle Shake's MEASURE FOR MEASURE Modernizes Tale of Virtue and Vice

I've said it before and I'll say it again, I typically have two main sticking points when it comes to Shakespeare productions. First that if you must transplant the time or locale of the piece, make it meaningful and second don't just say the pretty words but convey the intent behind them. And while Seattle Shakespeare Company's current production of "Measure for Measure" succeeds in the first regard, the latter only partially so, making some elements of the show feel stiff and forced.

In a somewhat modern Vienna (the transplant of the piece) the Duke of Vienna (David Anthony Lewis) has said he is leaving town on a diplomatic mission and while he is gone he has tasked one of his Judges Angelo (Bradford Farwell) with cleaning up the town of all the rampant fornication. And so while all the prostitutes are rounded up so is young Claudio (Moses Yim) who has impregnated the lovely Juliet (Ayo Tushinde). And while they are married, it was not quite fulfilling all the technical requirements and so Claudio is sentenced to death for having sex outside of marriage. Lucio (Tim Gouran), a friend of Claudio's, witnesses his arrest and informs his sister Isabella (Cindy Im), a novice nun, of his impending execution. Isabella goes to Angelo to plead for mercy and while resolve in his intent he finds himself lusting after the virtuous Isabella and tells her that if she will give up her virginity and sleep with him he will not execute her brother.

It's recognized as one of Shakespeare's "problem plays" even noted by director Desdemona Chiang but by placing it in a more modern setting Chiang manages to correlate the tale to the hypocritical piety in today's government and makes the show resonate more. I'm not sure it makes it any funnier (as it's known as one of the comedies) but that's an issue with the piece and not the transplant as the dark humor is one of the aforementioned "problems" of the show.

But even as the setting made the show ring familiar some of the performances tended to get mired in the flowery language giving them a stiff and droning rhythm without much meaning or intent. There are however a few notable stand outs who completely owned their roles and conveyed every last drop of the message and then some. Lewis manages an engaging performance and keeps his duplicitous character quite interesting. Farwell turns in one of the most gripping performances of the show as the lustful and conniving Judge. Gouran's Lucio as well as Scott Ward Abernethy's Pompey manage the majority of the comedy of the piece beautifully and while being saddled with much of the exposition of the story turn in two of the most interesting and engaging characters of the evening. And I must mention Aishe Keita who as the jilted Marianna also avoids the trap of the language well and delivers a well thought out and complex performance.

The show does manage to succeed and entertain on a number of levels but just doesn't quite fire on all cylinders making it good but not great. And so with my three letter rating system I must start off 2015 with a MEH+. Some truly wonderful performances amidst a sea of just OK.

"Measure for Measure" from Seattle Shakespeare Company performs at the Center Theatre at the Seattle Center through February 1st. For tickets or information contact the Seattle Shake's box office at 206-733-8222 or visit them online at www.seattleshakespeare.org.

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