Duke: Alexander Arsentyev Escalus: Iurii Rumiantcev Angelo: Andrei Kuzichev Lucio: Alexander Feklistov Claudio: Kiryl Dytsevich Provost: Alexander Matrosov Executioner: Ivan Litvinenko Elbow: Nikolay Kislichenko Barnardine: Igor Teplov Pompey / Friar Peter: Alexey Rakhmanov Isabella: Anna Khalilulina Mariana / Mistress Overdone: Elmira Mirel Juliet / Francisca: Anastasia Lebedeva
Directed by DECLAN DONNELLAN
Set designer: Nick Ormerod Costume designer: Nick Ormerod Music: Pavel Akimkin Choreographer: Irina Kashuba Translation: Osiya Soroka
Measure for Measure is about life in the modern city, where we can be completely lost and also found. It is about corruption – not only within the state, but our own capacity to be corrupt. At the centre of the play is the Duke, Vincentio, trapped in and overwhelmed by the unruly city he has to govern, but cannot. In a way, he is the city. He doesn’t know himself and is frightened of what may lie around dark unexplored corners. The Duke admires the morally perfect Angelo and places him in control as his deputy, while he pretends to go abroad. But then the Duke returns disguised as a friar to see his city from the other side of the microscope – it is as if he is discovering himself at the same time. But power teaches Angelo that he doesn’t know himself at all well. With a beautiful young virgin pleading on her knees, he discovers that he is not above other men and he bargains with her: her brother’s life, in return for sex. There then follows a taut thriller with dramatic repercussions, which is even more outrageous today than when it was first performed.
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