Audience are held spellbound by some scenes in a superb production, reports Christopher Gray

The principal themes of Shakespeare’s unpleasant play Measure for Measure emerge with astonishing clarity in the barnstorming modern-dress production brought to Oxford Playhouse, after an acclaimed run at London’s Barbican, by Cheek By Jowl and its Russian ‘division’ of actors from the Pushkin Theatre in Moscow.

The depiction of a repressive state led by corrupt politicians backed by a military for whom orders are orders, a society where morality must give way to might and one, moreover, in which the sex industry flourishes — all this would seem an accurate portrayal of the players’ homeland and, indeed, is seen as such there. “A shattering portrait of contemporary Russia,” said Moscow’s Novaya Gazeta.

The state concerned is that of Vienna under the rule of Duke Vincentio, one of the most puzzling characters in Shakespeare. As presented by Alexander Arsentyev — slick hair, bespectacled, blue-suited — he is the classic picture of the pen-pushing bureaucrat raised to power.

But he realises that he lacks the mettle to enact the city’s strange laws — a bizarre invention of the Bard’s — prohibiting sex before marriage. Thus he decides to absent himself and hand over the reins of power to his box-ticking clone Angelo (Andrei Kuzichev).

The “old fantastical duke of dark corners” — in the words of the all-seeing comic character Lucio (Alexander Feklistov), the only man to have the measure (sorry!) of him — has not, in fact, left Vienna at all but is creeping around disguised as a friar to see what transpires.

Good thing, too, for what occurs is a monstrous abuse of power. When young Claudio (Petr Rykov) faces execution for putting his fiancée in the family way, Angelo offers a pardon conditional upon his sister, the novice nun Isabella (Anna Khalilulina), giving him sexual satisfaction.

Three tremendous scenes hold the audience spellbound as, first, the vile proposal is made; second, Claudio tries to persuade his sister to accept it — seeming to demonstrate here in a graphic near-rape of her that virginity is no very big thing — and, third, the duke tells the macho, bare-chested hero he must prepare to die.

That Vincentio accompanies his homily with tender tuggings and caresses of the lad’s hair suggests a possible sexual interest, as does his similar treatment of the wonderful Barnardine (Igor Teplov). He is the character who sets the template for all on death rows everywhere by saying, in effect, when execution is proposed, “not today, thanks”.

Director Declan Donnellan maintains a cracking pace in this surtitled, two-hour, interval-free production. There is thrilling Russian dance music (Pavel Akimkin) and a versatile set (Nick Ormerod) of four red hollow cubes, with interior illumination, beneath rows of some 30 white lights in institutional style.

Don’t worry that it’s all in Russian, by the way. The language is easy on the ear and, provided you can read the surtitles, the action is easy to follow.

Measure for Measure
Oxford Playhouse
Until Saturday
01865 305305, oxfordplayhouse.com