Measuring Up
Tom-Tom Theatre gives great rendition of Shakespeare work
Barb Stewart

In its quest to bring quality works to the boards of Winnipeg, Tom-Tom Theatre has made a challenging and ultimately rewarding decision to produce Measure for Measure, one of Shakespeare’s “problem plays” (so called in a program note by director Ross McMillan).

A bawdy tale of sin, subterfuge, piety and punishment, the ‘difficulties’ of the play (most notably its unreasonably drawn-out resolution and broad shifts from comedy to tragedy) are skilfully manoeuvred by the cast.

For reasons that remain sketchy at best, Vienna’s Duke Vincentio (Graham Ashmore) pretends to depart from his city, leaving it in the seemingly capable hands of the pious Angelo (Tom Soares) and trustworthy Escalus (Steve Ratzlaff). But Vincentio does not actually go anywhere and instead dons the garb of a friar and sticks around to see just what transpires.

With his new-found power Angelo decides to crack down on all the lascivious behaviour previously going unpunished in Vienna. This includes the arrest of Claudio (Chris Sabel), who is sentenced to death for impregnating Angelo’s fiancée, Julietta (Carolyn Gray). Claudio’s sister, the wholly good and chaste Isabella (Daria Puttaert), begs Angelo for his release. Then we discover Angelo’s piety can be swayed by means unbecoming to one so bent on ridding the streets of lewdness...

The plot only thickens from there.

Much deceit and scheming ensues and the play twists and turns with fairly inconceivable contrivances. Nevertheless, the cast is very strong and many fine comedic turns (provided by Tom Keenan as the foppish Lucio and Chris Sabel as the clown Pompey) make the questionable plot developments insignificant.

Even when the tone turns away from the comedic, fine acting from the whole cast, including an outstanding turn by Puttaert, keeps the production striking and engaging. Though the story takes an unusually lengthy time to conclude and allow all to live happily ever after, the cast keeps its focus and the audience’s attention.

Basically without the aid of a set (aside from a few portable boxes for seating and metal bars for a jail), the cast and crew have managed to create a full-bodied production out of the simplest of forms.

Much love and attention has been invested in other details of the production, including wonderfully simple but beautiful costumes and, most delightfully, an array of puppets (made by Carolyn Gray) that not only offer a deliciously hilarious and lewd prologue but also a very evocative means of character exploration within the play. It’s an unusual take on Shakespeare that works incredibly well in both the work’s comic and sober elements.

Measure for Measure may not be one of Shakespeare’s most highly regarded works, but Tom-Tom Theatre’s production of the play is worthy of acclaim.