‘Measure for Measure’: Justice and #MeToo in 17th Century Vienna
The cast of “Measure for Measure” (Courtesy of Ashlyn Barnett)
“Does power corrupt man, or does man himself corrupt the seat of power?” asked Ashlyn Barnett, the director of “Measure for Measure.”
In Shakespeare’s “Measure for Measure,” issues of justice, morality and mercy collide in 17th century Vienna when a young would-be nun, Isabella, is sexually abused by the city’s interim leader, Angelo. As Isabella fights to be believed, a powerful question emerges: will abusive men in power be brought to justice?
This semester, the University of Colorado Boulder’s Department of Theater and Dance will tackle this question in its abridged, one-act performance of “Measure for Measure,” under the direction of Barnett, a master’s degree student. The recording will premiere on CU Presents at 7:30 p.m., Friday, March 12.