Review: Measure for Measure, Donmar Warehouse

While others strive for power, one Duke appears to be giving it away. Relinquishing his judicial power and assigning it to his deputy, he dons a monk's habit and steps back, to see what will unfold in his absence...

What does unfold is a staging of Measure for Measure quite unlike any that has been envisaged before. Though it is performed far less frequently than some of Shakespeare's other plays, Measure showcases an array of human vices which have become ever more important to address. Abuse of power, blackmail and hypocrisy, gender inequality and sexual violation - one instance of many in which a 16th century playwright appears to be speaking directly to us in the 21st century.

Review: RSC, Romeo and Juliet

A chorus of voices clamour to be heard, their cries becoming 140-character-length statements, loaded with meaning but exclaimed nevertheless...

There was much anticipation for the RSC's 2018 production of Romeo and Juliet, which promised a fresh, modern retelling by a youthful cast. Yet with the Globe's abstract 2017 production still fresh in people's minds, and with the RSC's recent Macbeth pushing modernisation to inaccessible levels, audiences could have been apprehensive about how the production would be handled. But under Erica Whyman's experienced direction and Tom Piper's acclaimed design, the production excelled. Here's my thoughts.