Measure for Measure | Royal Shakespeare Company

When a young novice nun is compromised by a corrupt official who offers to save her brother from execution in return for sex, she has no idea where to turn for help. When she threatens to expose him, he tells her that no one would believe her.

RSC Artistic Director Gregory Doran (The Tempest, 2017; Imperium I: Conspirator and Imperium II: Dictator, 2018) directs this new production of Measure for Measure, which was written in the early 1600s but feels even more urgent today.

Cast

Director Gregory Doran

Designer Stephen Brimson Lewis

Lighting Simon Spencer

Music Paul Englishby

Sound Steven Atkinson

Movement Lucy Cullingford

Fights Rachel Bown-Williams, Ruth Cooper-Brown

 

Good To Know

Photos by Helen Maybanks (c) RSC

Location

Barbican, London

Barbican - Silk Street, London EC2Y 8DS

Additional Details & FAQ

Access Information
  • Sat 14 Dec, 1.15pm - Audio-described and captioned performance with Touch Tour (11.15am)
  • Tue 14 Jan, 7.15pm - BSL-integrated performance
    • Post-show Talk included - Free to same-day ticket holders

To contact the Access Manager please email access@barbican.org.uk or call 020 7382 7348 during office hours.

Cancellation Policy

No refunds or exchanges after booking. 

Where Do I Go

Barbican Centre, Silk St, London, EC2Y 8DS

By Tube

The venue is within walking distance from a number of London Underground stations, the closest being Barbican, St Paul’s and Moorgate.

By Bus

Bus Route 153 runs directly past the venue. along Chiswell Street. Alight at 'Silk Street'. 

It is also close to Bus Route 4 and 56 which serve Barbican tube station. 

Reviews

4.2(6 reviews)
  • Anna D

    Jan 5, 2020

    Many years since I had seen MfM, was reminded why it is not performed very often . . It's a cumbersome play, large cast many with very small parts, makes it quite confusing. Sets worked well to create the different ambiences, but costumes did little to help some of the characters. But in amongst some strong performances: in the unlikely role of prison governor, Amanda Harris was probably the only one who really made her part her own. The deception of the Duke masquerading as an old friar totally lacked conviction – such a familiar Shakespearean device, yet no real distinction made here between the two supposedly contrasting personae, making it impossible to believe that the other characters were really taken in by his rudimentary 'disguise'. This meant that the final denoument lacked any conviction, and could only be treated as a weak theatrical joke . . . opportunity missed there! Without the informative programme, the 1900's Viennese setting and social context would have failed to register. Come on, this is the great RSC, with big cast, grand staging – you can do better than this . . .

  • Theatre lover

    Jan 4, 2020

    A dull rendering of a passionate play. Angelo in a suit and Claudio unconvincingly presented in beige tatters. The setting was too big for the characters who wandered about in grey and beige. The voices were thin and at times hysterical rather than passionate. Sad.

  • Gareth

    Dec 31, 2019

    Shakespeare's #metoo play shows that nothing has changed much in 400 years. You'd be hard pressed to call it enjoyable but it is a fine piece of theatre. The play lacks memorable speeches and is awash with familiar Shakespearean tropes, but the core plotline is unlike anything else in Shakespeare. Pretty much no one comes out of this play with their reputation intact. There is no happy ending. Truly this is a problem play, and the RSC do a fine job of making it one of the freshest in the first folio.

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