COLUMN: The London stage measures up
I left the Morgan Theatre on Thursday night feeling torn. I had many contrasting feelings about “Measure for Measure,” a Shakespearean play put on by the Actors From the London Stage and directed by Peter Holland.
The acting was very good. There were only five actors – playing at least three characters each. This fact alone resulted with my first contrasting feeling about the play. Having each actor play that many roles made the play pretty confusing, but at the same time, pretty funny.
One actor, for example, would go from being a duke in disguise, to a drunk and unstable Barnardine, just by taking a step from one side of the stage to the other, or by changing his tone of voice and emotion. Another example of great acting would be Elizabeth Hurran (the actress who played Isabella, Juliet, Mistress Overdone, and Ahorson). At several times in the play, she had real tears flowing from her eyes in a matter of seconds.
This play would have been even more confusing if I had not known the story line before the play began – especially since there was no scenery, very few props, only five actors to play numerous roles, and costumes consisting of a few robes, a couple necklaces and a veil.
The play was about a woman, Isabella, and her struggle between saving her brother and her own personal morals.
It started out with the Duke of Vienna (Stuart Fox) leaving his city and disguising himself as a friar, giving Angelo (Matthew Radford) a position as his deputy. Angelo condemned Claudio (Matthew Radford) to death, because he got his fiancée Juliet (Hurran) pregnant. Claudio’s sister, Isabella (Hurran), who is in the process of becoming a nun, heard the news and pleaded with Angelo to spare her brother’s life.
This is the point it got really confusing – with Angelo and Claudio being played by the same actor and Matthew Radford basically condemned himself to death.
As the story goes on, Angelo agreed to let Claudio go if Isabella would have sex with him. Isabella was scared and told her brother what Angelo had said. The Duke, who was disguised as a friar overheard Isabella. He created a plan to save Claudio and trap Angelo.
In the end, Isabella did not have to deter from her beliefs and Claudio’s life was saved.
The actors did a very good job on taking on so many roles, and memorizing them all, especially in the old English language of William Shakespeare’s time.
Although confusing at times, overall, the play provided a good time.
Kaleena Banks is a freshman majoring in print journalism. Comments
may be sent to kbanks@cc.usu.edu.