Measure for Measure, Silk Street Theatre *****

There is no better example of the beauty of theatre than in Cheek by Jowls daring and relevant production of Measure for Measure. It has become a joke within my family that I was going to a Shakespeare play performed in Russian. However, the language it's performed in should not put you off from seeing such a profound piece that enriches Shakespeare's problem play with influences from Russian Culture. The direction is prominent here with Declan Donnellan crafting each scene from a truly artistic perspective (much like Ivo Van Hove). This means that the story is told mainly through the actors more so than the subtitles. This is essential for people who want to observe the true purpose and art of theatre, as a medium that can bridge language to get to the heart of a piece of work. Transitions from scene to scene are effective, with the whole cast remaining as one body for much of the piece that move across the stage to pick up and drop off the characters needed for the following scene. The heavily cut script gives the story a driving force and keeps the audience on their toes. They deal with the sexual aspects of the play in a brutal yet tasteful way and, whilst there was a disclaimer for nudity, you don't really see anything, yet that doesn't mean that aspects of the production are not harrowing. This is a production that pushes the boundaries of what theatre can achieve. Take a look at the live stream if you can't get down to see it as this sort of theatre needs to be supported to prove that a touring production can be as effective and powerful as any other production.