Measure for Measure

Premiere – November 22nd, 2013

William Shakespeare «Measure for Measure»
Translated from English by Osiya Soroka

The first joint production of Moscow Pushkin Drama Theatre and Cheek by Jowl Theatre Company that has become one of the biggest culture events in the Russian capital.
 «Measure for Measure» is one of the greatest Shakespeare’s plays. Like any good thriller it’s neither comedy nor tragedy. The sudden plot twists make us sit on the edge of our seats. Shakespeare’s Vienna is an unpredictable bustling city with police, brothels and prisons. It’s home for the doubting Duke and for corrupt officials and for a dedicated nun... The story is told a few centuries ago by great Shakespeare still takes up actual questions: what are we ready to do to save a life of a loved one? Can people that regularly break the law and stay unpunished because of their high social position, be judges themselves? Will they get requital for their deeds – measure for measure – or mercy can become even a bigger punishment?

Director Declan Donnellan
Designer Nick Ormerod
Lighting Designer Sergey Skornetskiy
Composer Pavel Akimkin
Choreographer Irina Kashuba

Cast: Alexander Arsentyev, Iurii Rumiantcev, Andrei Kuzichev, Alexander Feklistov, Petr Rykov, Alexander Matrosov, Ivan Litvinenko, Nikolay Kislichenko, Igor Teplov, Alexey Rakhmanov, Anna Khalilulina, Elmira Mirel, Anastasia Lebedeva

Created in 1950 on the base of Alexander Tairov's Chamber Theatre, which was founded in 1914. In 1949 the Chamber Theatre was closed, ‘for «aestheticism and formalism», according to the official statement. It re-opened in 1950 as the Moscow Pushkin Drama Theatre, with Vasily Vanin as a director. In 1952 Boris Babochkin became the theatre's director, followed by Iosif Tumanov, Boris Ravenskikh, Boris Tolmazov, Boris Morozov, Yuri Yeryomin, Roman Kozak. In June 2010, Yevgeny Pisarev, the Honoured Artist of Russia, was appointed art director of the Pushkin Theatre.

Born in England of Irish parents in 1953. Grew up in London and read English and Law at Queens' College, Cambridge, before being called to the Bar at Middle Temple in 1978.
He and his partner, Nick Ormerod, formed Cheek by Jowl in 1981.

In 1989, Donnellan was made Associate Director of the Royal National Theatre in London. Created performances in the National Theatre of Finland, in the Old Vic theatre. The founder of the Royal Academy of Shakespeare Theatre in Stratford-upon-Avon.