HOUSE + BODY’s production of Measure for Measure currently playing in the Studio Theatre at Crow’s is Shakespeare with a twist.  It’s an adaptation written and directed by Christopher Manousos.  The schtick is that it’s part of a radio series of live Shakespeare and we are watching the goings on in the studio where five actors play all twenty characters with commercials, sponsor messages and the rest of the baggage of radio broadcasts.  There are also some “off stage” shenanigans involving the actors; principally the two women who engage in wistful glances and then have an almost steamy scene in the “interval”.   I’m going to speculate that this is a sort of nod to Isabella’s ambiguous nature in the actual play.

It’s well done and good fun.  All five players have impressive resumes and they really are good.  Sébastien Heins is a creepy Angelo but becomes ten times creepier when he morphs into the executioner Abhorson.  Beck Lloyd is a very sexy Isabella who is also hilarious as the Malapropian constable Elbow.  Katherine Gauthier plays so many parts; male and female, that it’s quite challenging to figure out which at any one time despite an uncanny ability to find a different voice and a different body language for each.

Jamie Cavanagh as the Duke and his alter ego Friar Lodowick is also convincing and some of the best comic acting comes from Danté Prince as, inter alia, Lucio, Claudio and Pompey.  His quick fire conversations with himself are often very funny indeed and he doubles up as the radio continuity announcer.

I think the approach taken here is a clever one.  Measure for Measure is as feeble as most Shakespeare comedies and a bit grim with multiple threatened executions, severed heads and what not(*).  Putting a spin on it that ameliorates the grimness and creates some new sources of humour makes sense.  It’s also sensibly cut so that it comes in around two hours including an interval.  All in all, it’s an enjoyable evening with some fine acting.

Measure for Measure runs at Crow’s Theatre until March 16th.

(*)I found myself wondering whether the mucking about with executions etc inspired the Blackadder series 2 episode “Head”.

Photo credits: Kendra Epik