MEASURE FOR MEASURE Comes to ArtsEmerson

ArtsEmerson, Boston's leading presenter of contemporary world theatre, proudly welcomes Cheek by Jowl (UK) and The Pushkin Theatre Moscow (Russia) with Measure for Measure. This production of Shakespeare's play by the international award-winning director Declan Donnellan and designer Nick Ormerod asks vital and unsettling questions about how we are governed and, in the process, unmasks the true nature of authority, love and justice. The limited run of only six performances takes place October 24 through 28, 2018 at the Emerson Cutler Majestic Theatre, located at 219 Tremont Street in downtown Boston. Tickets range from $20-$80, and may be purchased online at www.ArtsEmerson.org, by phone at 617.824.8400, or in person at the box office. Student, senior and group discounts are available.

Performed in Russian with English surtitles, The Pushkin Theatre Moscow and Cheek by Jowl will share Shakespeare's tale through an unsettling dissection of power and shame that is as shocking as it is revelatory. The Times (London) calls the cast of Measure for Measure "so electrifyingly intense and disturbing that they make your hair stand on end." Novaya Gazeta calls it "a shattering portrait of contemporary Russia."

"Throughout our nine seasons, we've forged deep connections with Russian artists and narratives as part of our 'World on Stage' commitment," says artistic director David Dower. "Declan Donnellan is similarly rooted in cross cultural exchange; his collaboration with Moscow's Pushkin Theater is a perfect pairing for us. Donnellan's visceral, visually audacious staging is stunning and his all-Russian cast is masterful. Shakespeare's classically 'problematic play' suddenly emerges as a fresh, sharp, and emotionally powerful tale of our own problematic times."

Shakespeare's Measure for Measure was written between 1603 and 1604, classified initially as a comedy. However, the production history exemplifies the complex nature of the play, each with a nearly unique perspective. The story takes place in Vienna under Lord Angelo's iron-fist rule. He revives forgotten laws on morality and sexual license and decides to make an example of Claudio, a young man who has had pre-marital sex with his fiancée, Juliet. Hearing of Claudio's death sentence, his sister the novitiate Isabella resolves to petition Angelo for her brother's life. Despite his outward strict moral code, Angelo tells Isabella he will only free her brother if she sacrifices her virginity to him.

Cheek by Jowl was established in 1981 by its co-Artistic Directors Declan Donnellan and Nick Ormerod. The company is dedicated to producing fresh and vivid productions that focus on the actor's art, avoiding directorial and design concepts. Cheek by Jowl produces work in English, French and Russian. The company has performed in over 400 cities in more than 50 countries spanning six continents. Cheek by Jowl's first production was William Wycherley's The Country Wife, presented at the Edinburgh Festival in 1981 and supported by a small Arts Council grant. Before long the company received its first official invitations to perform abroad, taking their productions of Vanity Fair and Pericles to the Almagro, Valladolid and Jerusalem festivals in 1984. These productions were also subsequently invite to perform in London at The Donmar Warehouse. For that first London season Cheek by Jowl won the Laurence Olivier Award for Most Promising Newcomer in 1986, with over half of the company's plays receiving Olivier Awards. The company grew rapidly throughout the 1980s -creating 18 productions in ten years, touring across six continents and giving more than 1,500 performances. In 1990, The Independent said, "If there is one company to have influenced British theatre in the 1980s, it is Cheek by Jowl."

The Pushkin Theatre is one of the most prominent Moscow repertoire theatres. It was founded by the legendary Russian theatre director Alexander Tairov in 1914. The company was formed and the building, which the theatre still occupies, was reconstructed especially for Tairov's needs. In 1950 the theatre changed its name to the Pushkin Theatre. Appointed in 2010, Evgeny Pisarev is the current Artistic Director. Prior to his appointment he had worked regularly at the theatre as a Director from 1996 and as an actor in the company from 1993.