Shakespeare "measures" up in VWC show
by Emily Brockelsby

A talented cast, an interesting set and a well-edited script all make the fall presentation of Shakespeare’s Measure for Measure a noteworthy production. The action of the play centers around a pious woman being propositioned by a high official in order to save her brother’s life. Her brother’s only crime was to bed his future wife and produce a child. The rest of the action of the play consists of the dealings of a duke disguised as a friar and his attempts to give justice to all involved in the seedy dealings.

The focal point of the set design was a large and unique statue which was created by Jerry Pope, manager of the Hofheimer Theater. The statue depicts the female figure of justice in a somewhat compromising pose with her robes falling down to her ankles. One playgoer stated that the statue went right along with the sordid events of the play.

If you are acquainted with the original version of the play you probably would have noticed some major changes in the VWC version. The production this fall, which was directed by Dr. Rick Hite, was set in our very own Hampton Roads instead of the original setting of Vienna, Italy. Along with this major change, many small deletions and changes within the text allowed the play to have a shorter running time and a smoother updated transition.

The entire cast of the play did an outstanding job, and, despite a few minor problems with long speeches, each gave an almost flawless performance. The play was punctuated by absolutely outstanding performances by a few players who had somewhat smaller parts. The scenes with Tim Morton as the play’s lovable tapster were arguably the best in the show. The subtleties of C.J. Brock’s performance were hilarious. Every audience member enjoyed watching him embarrass the friar and hide behind the infamous statue. Jami McManama gave a convincing performance as the local prostitute.

Despite the best tries of the lighting crew they were doomed to failure as a result of the poor condition of the theater. Rain during the weekend performances and faulty wiring caused the lights to go on and off by their own accord. Also, some unfortunate audience members left the theater a bit soggy because of large drips of rain that were falling from the leaks in the ceiling.

Despite the technical glitches and some minor problems, VWC and the theater department has once again staged a fabulous production. The combination of student players and community actors under the direction of Hite gave the VWC stage a professional appearance that should be noted and commended.