Measure for Measure Reviews

Talkin Broadway- Recommended

"...Measure for Measure is a remarkably timely play for Washington's Folger Theatre to stage, especially considering that William Shakespeare wrote it more than four centuries ago. Questions of legislating morality, of governments policing the private behavior of their citizens, are as consequential today as they were in Shakespeare's time."

Washington City Paper- Highly Recommended

"...The Bard’s biggest fans often say the mark of his genius is his timelessness (Samuel Johnson’s assertion that “his drama is the mirrour of life” is engraved into the building’s facade), while others stretch to make his antiquated stories and syntax “relevant” to modern playgoers. In this town, which loves its Shakespeare with the same intensity with which it judges modern dress productions, Measure for Measure finds its strongest footing by honoring both, with a small step back in time and a long lean forward to meet us here."

MD Theatre Guide- Highly Recommended

"...What role should the government play in shaping its citizens' morality? Shakespeare's "Measure for Measure" explores this ever timely question through the story of Isabella, a young novice trying to save her brother's life during a legal crackdown on promiscuity. Labeled as one of Shakespeare's "problem plays" for causing so much debate, "Measure for Measure" seems designed to force the viewer to decide what is right and not lay out a clear answer."

K Street Magazine- Highly Recommended

"...Directed by Psalmayene 24, the production takes one of Shakespeare’s more complicated plays and leans into what makes it so endlessly interesting: nobody is entirely innocent, nobody holds power for long, and morality can look very different depending on who is making the rules."

Hill Rag- Highly Recommended

"...“What’s the problem?” is Director Psalmayene 24’s first reaction to Shakespeare Measure for Measure. In this fearless encounter with a text scholars and directors have long wrestled with, Psalmayene relocates the play to a courtroom in the 1950’s Jim Crow South, replete with ceiling fans and Southern accents."

The Washington Lobbyist- Highly Recommended

"...Status, power, and justice are viewed through an American lens, so the 400-year-old text carries the dramatic weight of the civil rights era and assists in its complex nuances."

DC Theater Arts- Highly Recommended

"...Measure for Measure might not be the first Shakespeare play you'd think of for a social justice treatment, and it's produced less often than others. But grounding the play's events in the reality of American racial struggles makes Shakespeare's comedy even more poignant for a modern audience. This production is still a comedy, but it feels grounded in reality. Do yourself a favor and treat yourself to this beautifully consistent production."