There Must Be An Angelo

It’s been a while since I’ve left a play with a massive grin on my face that I was just unable to get rid of, but the RSC’s latest production of Shakespeare’s Measure for Measure, directed by Roxana Silbert for Stratford’s Swan Theatre, definitely achieved this.
The one thing I knew about the production before going was that there was going to be an ‘S&M theme’, and I was slightly curious to see how this would unravel. There’s always that aim with Shakespeare to do something different, something interesting, and under Silbert’s direction there are many S&M props (such as whip-like hangings from the ceiling), clothing (watch-out for tight leather corsets on the men and women), as well as the odd transitions where individuals are tied up at the back of the stage, but that’s pretty much it. The ‘S&M’ element isn’t so much a key part of the play as something which is hinted at through props and costume, and honestly was just a bit pointless in that respect. If you’re going for S&M, either push it, or don’t try at all. Silbert lay somewhere in-between, which didn’t entirely work for me.
In fact, Silbert’s direction has been criticised by many reviewers for its lack of sexual charge. And I agree, the Duke and Isabella didn’t spend the performance pawing over one another, they didn’t sizzle every time they met, but I don’t think the play lost anything for it. Their romance is sweet, and it’s addressed well, building throughout the performance. The play had a strong cast, good direction. It didn’t lose anything for this lack of sexuality.
Silbert may have cocked up a bit on the failed S&M element, but I wouldn’t slate the play as a whole for this. It was one aspect that didn’t quite fit, but her other additions to the performance were so apt, and so incredible. The Duke’s sleight of hand tricks throughout are clever and funny, and if you plan to go look out for the Top Gun style slow-motion return of the Duke to Vienna. In fact, the S&M element does successfully come to play in the beautifully choreographed ending to the performance, where the actors really got to let loose and just enjoy being on-stage.
The key elements of the text – law and order, power and sex – are all addressed. And the performance was really hilarious. You could see how much the actors fell into their roles, how responsive they were to the audience’s laughter, which is always something I love to see. Not only were the leads all incredibly strong, but also the supporting actors. In fact, Joseph Kloska’s performance of the bawdy pimp Pompey made the show for me. He was hilarious, and especially after having just seen him play a clerk in Written on the Heart, the contrast was unbelievable.
For one of Shakespeare’s ‘problem’ plays, Silbert’s Measure for Measure was never boring, and never lost focus. Yes, she didn’t quite pull the S&M element off, but so what? The play didn’t lose anything for this. In my opinion it was a brilliant production, and definitely worth seeing.