What’s the Problem? You watch. You laugh. You listen. You laugh. You think. You laugh? You wonder. You… ??? The question mark is strong. It shatters the existing order. It’s born out of uncertainty, when we suddenly feel absurdity in seemingly “natural” orders. Then it grows bigger and bigger: Why do I feel this way? Am I overreacting? Is this the way it is? Is it justice? What is justice? After the overwhelming waves of question marks may come a subtle revolution. Measure for Measure is a more absurd play than first it seems. As the play goes along, it is hard to track who’s virtuous and who’s monstrous, where is the fine line between mercy and justice, and what is the limit of utilizing unjust means to achieve justice. Among Shakespeare plays, Measure for Measure is categorized as a “problem play,” because it’s full of these murky questions. The production history of the play is also the history of proposing answers to perplexing questions: Is this comedy or tragedy? Is the Duke just? Is Angelo salvageable? Why is Isabella silent at the end?
Shakespeare Repertory Project
MEASURE FOR MEASURE
But a question can have a greater weight when it remains a question— bearing numerous answers, possibilities, and oftentimes both joy and despair. Of all Shakespeare’s plays, Measure for Measure especially is on this uncertain border. And we still seek for the answer by asking even more questions. While feeling uncomfortable, do we stop laughing, or do we laugh even harder? What distinguishes farce and horror, comedy and tragedy, fall and redemption? The play asks: When do we want to laugh out loud? What do we really want to hear from Isabella? What revolution do we dream of? How far have we come? And most importantly, will we ever stop asking questions? FEBRUARY 7 AT 4PM & 8PM FEBRUARY 8 AT 4PM
—JISUN KIM, PRODUCTION DRAMATURG
STUDIO SERIES
ISEMAN THEATER 1156 CHAPEL STREET