Old 'Measure' yields timely production

Monday, July 16, 2007

BY PETER FILICHIA

Star-Ledger Staff

NEW JERSEY STAGE

A politician is caught in a sex scandal. There's talk of a controversial pardon.

All from a play written 404 years ago.

Last November, when Bonnie J. Monte scheduled "Measure for Measure" at her Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey, she had no way of knowing that the future would yield Senator Vitter's adventures with an escort service, or Bush's commutation of Scooter Libby's sentence. Monte was bringing the Bard's 1603 work to her Madison playhouse because seasoned director Jack Wetherall told her he had a new way of staging it.

Wetherall's idea was to relocate the play that Shakespeare set in Vienna to the Old Wild West. Alas, most of his cast seem as if the only west they know is West Orange . However, because they're so good with Shakespearean dialogue, the play comes through, and packs a wallop from its sheer timeliness. And while it runs two-and-a-half hours, it rarely drags.

Though costume designer Clint Ramos has provided excellent western wear for most everyone, Vienna is still mentioned as the locale. (True, seven cities in this country are named Vienna , but none of them is in the west.) The Duke decides to make a field trip to see what his people are thinking, and leaves Angelo, his second-in-command, in charge. Angelo immediately goes on a staunch law-and-order tear, and decides that Claudio, a young man who's impregnated his girlfriend, should be put to death. That'll show Vienna that he's serious about maintaining morality.

Claudio's sister Isabella, in a convent and about to take her vows, is recruited to beg mercy from Angelo. The interim duke won't pardon the lad -- unless Isabella sleeps with him.

That's why "Measure for Measure" is often described as a dark comedy. It's often dark from a lighting designer's standpoint, too, but Peter West has illuminated it in lovely fashion. Best of all are two scenes that take place in the Old West's favorite time: Sundown.

It's played on Marion William's all-wood set which should have used planks that were more rough-hewn in nature. David Manis portrays the Duke as a self-made man, and quite a nice one at that. Stephen Tyrone Williams' Claudio shows a young adult who goes from nervousness to outright terror as the inevitability of his fate dawns on him.

The real revelation is January LaVoy as Isabella. She starts off as demure and charming (despite the dress that Ramos gave her, which accentuates this nun-to-be's excellent figure.) She gains strength when the action asks it of her, and her argument with Williams transcends the average brother-and-sister fight.

LaVoy's scenes with Angelo crackle, too, thanks to Michael Milligan. He impresses in his journey from quiet autocrat to guilt-ridden wimp.

The supporting cast gives Wetherall the snarling varmints that his Old Wild West conceit seeks. Jeffrey Guyton plays the constable so besottedly that one expects him to roar, "What the Sam Hill is going on?" Roderick Lapid makes an amiable Pompey, a procurer. Elizabeth Shepherd wields her cigar well as the local madam. Wayne Meledandri amuses as Lucio, as hypocritical as Angelo, but not nearly as malevolent.

Finally, Dan Housek scores as their pal Froth, whom he plays as a true tenderfoot. Housek also sings the one song in the show, and does it well -- measure for measure.

Peter Filichia may be reached at pfilichia@starledger.com or (973) 392-5995.

© 2007  The Star Ledger

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Theater Review

Shakespeare's ‘Measure' Transplanted to the Frontier

By NAOMI SIEGEL

Published: July 22, 2007

The scenario is like something out of a sordid tabloid article. A young woman appears before a government official to plead the case of her brother, who was condemned to die for getting his lover pregnant. Before the interview has ended, it becomes clear that the life of the woman's brother rests on her willingness to succumb to the sexual advances of this outwardly upright, inwardly lecherous hypocrite.

Harassment? You betcha. A corrupted use of power? Without a doubt, but not a product of Beltway backrooms or corporate boardrooms. The original setting chosen by William Shakespeare for his dark comedy “Measure for Measure” was Vienna in 1604. Now the play has been transplanted faithfully and with stunning results to the post-Civil War American West by Jack Wetherall, director of the Shakespeare Theater of New Jersey's vibrant new production.

Deciding to shift the setting of a classic is often a desperate move on the part of a director to find an original voice for a war horse. Nothing about this production's change of time and place seems mannered or artificial, however, except perhaps the shock of hearing the name Vienna mentioned at odd moments.

This is “Deadwood” country, featuring a public bawdy house run by the voluptuous Mistress Overdone (Elizabeth Shepherd) and populated by such generic Wild West dissolute types as the clownish Pompey (Roderick Lapid), the rather simple constable, Elbow (Jeffrey Guyton), and that roguish troublemaker Lucio (Wayne Meledandri). There's even a sheriff sporting a tin star (Rob Krakovski).

As for the fair damsel in distress, Shakespeare's Isabella (January LaVoy), a novitiate of the church, is a complex portrait. Absolutist in her moral vision of the world and at first unwilling, or even unable, to name the sin of her brother, Claudio (Stephen Tyrone Williams), she grows to accept both tricks and outright lying as useful tools in the pursuit of justice. Her harasser, Angelo (Michael Milligan), described as such a cold fish that “when he makes water his urine is congeal'd ice,” is a kindred spirit of sorts. He too starts from a posture of moral absolutism, but comes to see the truth in less rigid terms by the time “Measure for Measure” has tidily and rather arbitrarily struggled to its mandatory “happy ending.”

Serving as puppet master for all concerned is Vincentio, Duke of Vienna, played by David Manis. Equally absolute in his determination to control events even as he places surrogates in his stead — including the loyal Escalus, in the person of Raphael Nash Thompson, who serves as mentor to Angelo — he resorts as well to prevarication and subterfuge. This includes engineering an infamous bed switch involving Mariana (Kristie Dale Sanders), Angelo's ex-fiancée.

All in all, this production of “Measure for Measure” is both wonderfully acted and dynamically directed. It is also meticulously designed. A solitary, bleached tree limb that hovers menacingly over Marion Williams's elegant setting of curved wood panels lets no one forget that frontier justice awaits Vienna 's wrongdoers. Clint Ramos's detailed costumes are period-perfect.

The news is good for audiences in search of quality classic theater: The Shakespeare Theater of New Jersey has another big winner on its hands.

“Measure for Measure” is at the Shakespeare Theater of New Jersey, 36 Madison Avenue , Madison (on the campus of Drew University ), through July 29. Information: (973) 408-5600.

07/20/07 - Posted from the Daily Record newsroom
New 'Measure for Measure' production overcomes some of the play's problems

BY WILLIAM WESTHOVEN
SPECIAL TO THE DAILY RECORD

"MEASURE FOR MEASURE"

Tuesdays-Sundays
Through July 29
F.M. Kirby Shakespeare Theatre
Drew University
36 Madison Ave. (Route 124),
Madison
Tickets are $28 to $52
Call (973) 408-5600
www.shakespearenj.org

The actor Jack Wetherall made a strong first impression earlier this year at the Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey, playing the Chorus and Montjoy, the French envoy, in "Henry V".

Last week, the director Jack Wetherall made a promising company debut with his novel adaptation of "Measure for Measure," solving some, if not all, of the challenges presented by one of Shakespeare's notorious "problem plays."

Essentially a drama about morality, politics and abuse of power, "Measure for Measure" finds modern relevance in the myriad scandals of our elected officials and power brokers. There's no shortage of romance and comic relief, either, making for a rich and briskly paced (just short of three hours with the intermission) night of theater.

Difficult to swallow

So, what's the problem? While "Measure for Measure" is easy enough to follow, it is difficult to swallow. Shakespeare is no stranger to preposterous plot, and they are frequently part of the fun in his better comedies. But in a darkly dramatic setting, they simply can't be taken seriously.

Duke Vincentio (David Manis) gets things rolling by abandoning Vienna , leaving hard-liner Angelo (Michael Milligan) in charge of a city in moral decay. Angelo immediately revives an old law that condemns fornicators to death.

He makes an example of young Claudio (Stephen Tyrone Williams), who has put his beloved Juliet (Jo Williamson) in the family way. His sister, Isabella (January LaVoy), a novice nun, pleads with Angelo for mercy, but balks when Angelo offers to spare Claudio if she sleeps with him.

Meanwhile, the Duke has gone under cover (specifically, under hood) as a friar to spy on everyone. When he learns of Angelo's scandalous hypocrisy, he cooks up a complex plot to right several wrongs in one fell swoop.

The happy ending and an endless supply of mercy (a Shakespeare staple) have never sat well with scholars or audiences, and it doesn't help that the Duke hits on Isabella before it's all over.

Wetherall wisely makes light of the problem points -- some key lines are delivered with dry humor that say to the audience, "yeah, we know," with a metaphorical wink. Manis gets the best of it. When the Duke must inexplicably exit a key scene to resume his friar disguise, he declares, "I, for a while, will leave you," as Ed McMahon would deliver a straight line to Carson . The audience howled. Problem solved.

Wetherall also shows a nice touch with his actors, particularly the supporting players. Kristie Dale Sanders, as Mariana, gets laughs and tears in less than 10 minutes of stage time. Elizabeth Sheperd, who usually plays stuffy Victorians, is a bawdy and buxom Mistress Overdone. Non-Equity company members Roderick Lapid and Christopher McFarland also shine, respectively, as a charming rogue and a dazed executioner.

No standouts

None of the leads really stands out, although all get the job done. Manis looks more like an accountant than a king, but grows in the role, seemingly feeding off the cumulative silliness of the story. Milligan seethes as Angelo, but can't quite convince us of his character's motivation, which is partly the fault of the author.

Wetherall also chose to reset the play in America 's post Civil War Southwest, where Union soldiers, Confederates, free former slaves and assorted reprobates populated a hostile, untamed territory. His director notes logically link these seemingly conflicting places, but in execution, the switch is more curious than crucial.

A stage of unpainted hardwood, with two walls of similar construction in back, provide a simple, unvarnished platform for a play that is anything but simple.

In short, and by any measure, Wetherall has given us a credible production of a play that struggles for credibility, but is ultimately worth the effort.