Stage Dragon: Measure for Measure – GSC Holy Trinity Church

Published on: 7 Feb, 2019
Updated on: 7 Feb, 2019

Holy Trinity church, transformed into the Duke’s court. Photo Matt Pereira

By Alice Fowler

A young novitiate – a trainee priest or nun – pleads with the ruler of Vienna to save their brother’s life. The politician, in a flagrant abuse of power, agrees to intervene only if the novitiate yields up their virginity in return.

Hannah Edwards as Angela wields power over the young priest Isabello (Graeme Dalling). Photo Matt Pereira

This is the premise of Measure for Measure, Shakespeare’s biting exploration of exploitation, hypocrisy and harassment. Guildford Shakespeare Company’s excellent production, opening this week, confounds our expectations of who is abusing whom. First, we see a woman ruler, Angela, take advantage of a young male priest. Then the actors swap, so that a powerful man, Angelo, exploits a helpless nun. Other characters change gender too, so that, after the interval, we watch the same story unfold in different – and, it must be said, more familiar – ways.

All this – easier to watch than to explain – is a clever way to approach a play that hovers between comedy and something far darker. Written in the early 1600s, when Shakespeare was at the height of his powers, it is one of his lesser-known works. So resonant are its themes, however, that it has emerged as the Shakespeare play of choice for the #MeToo era.

Performances throughout are excellent. The gender swap concept allows actors to fully explore their range. Hannah Edwards who, in the first half, strides the stage as the power-crazed Angela, emerges in the second meek and cowed as Isabella. Graeme Dalling, who does the same swap in reverse, makes Isabello, the young priest compromised by a dominant woman, utterly credible.

GSC co-founder Sarah Gobran steals the show as the brassy prostitute Pompey – herself, of course, a victim of male exploitation; while Matt Pinches shines as loud-mouthed Lucio, depicted as a particularly weaselly news reporter.

Roles reversed: Novice nun Isabella (Hannah Edwards) submits to ruler of Vienna, Angelo (Graeme Dalling) Photo Matt Pereira

The action unfolds on four different stages located around Guildford’s Holy Trinity church, with the audience seated in the middle. As usual, director Charlotte Conquest and designer Neil Irish take full advantage of this magnificent venue, which segues easily from a court-room to a wood-panelled politician’s office.

The Duke (Esther McAuley) prepares to disguise herself, helped by Friar Francis (Daniel W. Abbott) Photo Matt Pereira

The play was written at a time of change, when Elizabeth I’s long reign was ending and James I taking power. Many have suggested that Shakespeare was attempting to advise the new king on how – and how not – to govern. It portrays a society in flux in which rulers act unpredictably, laws are massaged and ordinary people, caught in the maelstrom, must survive as best they can. Four hundred years on, how little it seems has changed.

Watching the play twice forces us, the audience, to challenge our preconceptions. For the gender-swapping device to really work, viewers should ideally not know in advance what will occur; while watching the same play twice inevitably requires a certain stamina. Nonetheless, this is a bold, entertaining and thought-provoking production. GSC hopes audiences will feed back their responses: get down to Holy Trinity church and join this timely conversation.

The GSC’s Measure for Measure continues at Holy Trinity Church, Guildford, until February 23 2019. Box office: 01483 304384, www.guildford-shakespeare-company.co.uk