Shakespeare’s drama about the double standards of despots who are drunk on their own power was of course going to resonate with our times. Director Emily Burns puts these strongmen in slick modern-day suits to hammer it home and the parallel becomes all the clearer in Frankie Bradshaw’s set which resembles a political battlefield of glass, chrome and parliamentary green. But the production also lays bare how puritanical morality and religion are weaponised by politicians in ways that seems utterly applicable to the machinations of the right wing today.
An opening screen montage designed by Zakk Hein includes leaders whose reigns have been rocked by sex scandals (such as Bill Clinton and Donald Trump) as well as images of Jeffrey Epstein and Prince Andrew. What is ingenious, and counterintuitive, is that the villainous Angelo (Tom Mothersdale) is still made human. Outwardly he has an accountant’s dead-eyed way, following his morality laws to the letter by sentencing Claudio (Oli Higginson) on a technicality: he is waiting for dowry matters to be resolved when he is caught in flagrante with his wife-to-be, Juliet (Miya James). But when Angelo proposes to Claudio’s sister, Isabella (Isis Hainsworth), that he spare her brother’s life in exchange for her virginity – effectively blackmailing her for sex – he is shown to be tormented by his desire. You are repelled by his bald hypocrisy but understand it arises from weakness.
